


The Wager

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Marauders' Era, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-09-17
Updated: 2007-09-17
Packaged: 2019-01-19 12:11:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12410073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: What happened in the run up to Lily and James finally getting together? Ever wondered? What if there was a wager? What if that wager included a date? What if a handsom stranger showed up and paid a little too much attention to a certain red head? Uncertainty, flirting, deliberate ignorance and one lovely shouting match... Seventh years have all ...





	1. Let's Make The End Justify The Means

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

** CHAPTER ONE:  **

** Let's make the end justify the means! **

Lily’s knees were beginning to get sore. She shifted off her legs and put her bum on the cold hard floor, tucking her legs in beside her, rubbing her knees as she did. 

James had been watching her out of the corner of his eye. He was sat cross legged on the floor next to her, with a very big book open in his lap. He had been pretending to look through it but really he was trying to think of something witty to say. "Are you’re legs hurting?" he asked casually.

She looked at him. "Who’d have thought stone was so uncomfortable." 

He smiled at her; she was great at quick sarcastic answers. "Do you want a cushion?" he asked taking his wand from his waistband. She nodded slowly and watched as he conjured a red velvet cushion, nothing too fancy. 

"Thanks Potter." Taking it from him she then positioned herself on top of it. "Aaah, that’s better."

They were silent again as Lily returned to her task. She was searching through loose parchment for a certain document her Transfiguration teacher had ‘misplaced’. James however was looking through the pages of old books, just in case McGonagall had hidden it in one of them. They’d drawn the short straw as they were both Heads and were given this very boring and thankless task. It was just their luck that their Transfiguration teacher had disabled the accio command on it, so it couldn't be summoned.

James however was enjoying it a little more than he was letting on. He had been sat there, next to Lily for nearly half an hour and it didn’t look like things were about to change any time quickly. He kept stealing glances at her as she huffed and trawled through endless rolls of old yellow parchment. Finally he thought of something to say to her, he still had his wand in his hand and he flicked one of the pig tails that were hanging over her shoulder. "What’s with these anyway Evans?"

She gave him a sly sideways glance "What’s with what?!"

He grinned at her, a very boyish grin "These!" he said flicking again playfully.

She frowned at him and ran her hand down her smooth plait. "It’s called a pig tail Potter." His smile had made something in her chest flutter; she pushed the feeling down. "Why, what’s wrong with it?"

He was smirking. "Nothing…" he said casually turning back to his book. He could feel her staring at him and he liked it.

She _was_ staring at him but with a scowl on her face "You can’t talk Potter! At least my hair doesn’t stick up all over the place!"

"I just so happen to be quite fond of my hair!" said James grinning, reaching a hand to it to rumple it up. "All my brains are in these adorable locks."

Lily couldn’t help but laugh, James could be so conceited sometimes, but amusingly so. "Brains? What brains?"

His eye met hers for a moment "So _you_ think my hair’s adorable too then!?"

"What? No I was just amused by the fact that you think you’ve got brains." retorted Lily, her chest panging.

His brows furrowed "I’m brainy."

She sniggered "Only when it suits you!"

He shrugged and retorted slyly "At least I’m not a teachers pet."

Sitting back, she contemplated him for a moment "At least I’m not a notorious little toe rag. I’ll be having the last laugh when I get my NEWT results."

"Do you really think I’m thick?" he asked playfully.

She chose her words carefully, as not to insult him too much "I don’t think you apply yourself enough."

He shrugged again, turning a page in the book in his lap that had sat dormant since the conversation started "There never seems to be any point. I’ll ‘apply myself’ when the time comes. Other than that the reward never justifies the means."she was shaking her head with a smile on her face. She could see what he was saying but didn’t agree with it. "Just you take this Potions test we’ve got on Friday." he was saying, leaning back on his hands casually. "I could ace that test if I really wanted to, but what’s the point? I’d only be taking away your glory and I wouldn’t want to do that, would I?" he was grinning widely.

Lily’s eyebrows had shot up. "Oh really!" a smile crossing her lips. "You think that do you! You reckon you can score a better mark than me?"

He laughed "Hell yeah I do!"

"Well," she continued "we best make sure the end justifies the means." and a mischievous look appeared on her face.

He looked at her suspiciously "What do you mean?"

"What’s say you and I have a little wager?"

His eyebrows rose this time _"A wager? Miss Evans, I never had you down as the sort to set a wager!"_

She gave him a sarcastic look "If you don’t want to its understandable. _I_ wouldn’t want to go up against me in a Potions test!"

James thought a moment. He knew Lily could beat him, Potions was her best subject by far but he couldn’t exactly back down, not now. "Alright Evans, you’re on. I don’t mind showing you up!"

Lily laughed cruelly "Oh honey, you’re the one whose gonna have egg on his face!

" _Honey, did she just call me honey;_ thought James with jolt to his stomach _. "Terms!" was all he could say._

"Right." said Lily her eyes rolling towards the ceiling as if she was thinking. "If I get a better mark than you…you have to…ah!" she exclaimed, an idea hitting her. She looked at him, amusement in every part of her face "You, Mr Potter have to stay completely silent for a whole day! I’ll put a silencing charm on you and everything! And it has to be a school day too!"

He eyed her for a moment; _a whole day without talking_? It might have been doable. But then again he could get into a lot of trouble, if he was asked something by a teacher and wouldn’t answer. He smiled to himself; she was a sly one. "Alright, if you get a better mark than me you can put a silencing charm on me from morning till night!"

She grinned, "That would be heaven…not having to listen to you for a whole day! Oh I’m going to enjoy it!"

He held up his hand "Hold on…you’re not gonna win so I won’t be silent at all!" the smile hadn’t disappeared. "And now to think of something you’ll have to do when you lose…"

Lily huffed and folded her arms playfully.

God how he loved this; he and Lily were acting like friends, laughing and joking. He had been waiting for her to be like this with him for years and finally at the end of last year and the beginning of this year she had been more amiable towards him. He knew why; it was because he had stopped pestering her to date him. But now it was all getting a bit too much for him; he found himself staring at her when she was talking to him, fantasising about grabbing her and kissing her. He had had to restrain himself a good few times.

Lily was looking at him expectantly "Well…"

It hit him like a the Hogwarts Express…it was Hogsmead the day after the test and Slughorn usually gave them the test first thing then marked them and gave them their scores before they left at the end of the lesson. "Right…if I win, and you lose…" he hoped it wasn’t a step too far, he hoped she didn’t blow up at him "…you have to… go to Hogsmead with me the day after." He waited for the slap, or the shout…

She looked at him a little confused "Hogsmead?"

James’s stomach was squirming uncomfortably and colour was creeping up his neck into his cheeks like he’d just walked inside from being out in the cold. "Yeah…" his hand reach for his hair but he put it back down when he realised "…if you get a lower mark than me you have to accompany me into Hogsmead…on a date." There he’d said it. He’d actually wanted to ask her to go to Hogsmead with him all week anyway but hadn’t plucked up the courage.

Her expression was unfathomable but her chest felt as though it had seized completely. James Potter had just kind of told her that he wanted to take her to Hogsmead on a date; a date! But then he’d slyly slipped it into the wager and she knew she couldn’t back down. Suddenly her face went stony. James was waiting for the yell. "Right; if you lose you’re silent for the day, if I lose I’ve got to go into Hogsmead with you." she held her small hand out for him to shake knowing her cheeks must have turned pink with blush.

He stared at her all agog. She’d just accepted the wager! And was she blushing? He reached his hand to shake hers; it was slightly cold as he shook it "You’re on." a smile crept across his face "You. Are. On." He repeated jubilantly.

She couldn’t help but smile at the grin on his face "Don’t you get too happy Potter, there’s no way you are gonna win this! I’ve consistently gotten the highest scores in potions tests all the time we’ve been doing NEWT’s!"

"Ah yes," replied James, his stomach still squirming "but I wasn’t trying then was I? I’ll be trying on Friday."

Lily returned to the pile of parchment in front of her "Well just don’t get your hopes up, that’s all I’m saying."

He watched her turning over the yellowing parchment formulating a plan. There was no way he could pass up this opportunity for a date with Lily. He’d been waiting years for her to give him a chance and although this wasn’t how he’d planned it, it would still be a date. Finally he returned to turning the pages of the book in his lap absentmindedly. He almost missed the small slip of decaying parchment wedged in between pages 348 and 349. He blinked at it and took it out of the book. The parchment was very thin and smelt musty. "Is this what we’re looking for?"

Lily took it from him without looking at his face and eyed it suspiciously before a smile emerged on her lips "Fantastic!" she said getting up off the floor and brushing off her skirt.

James watched her stand "Is it the right one?"

She grinned nodding "It absolutely is!"

He closed the book and slid it into the bookcase before standing also "Finally!" he said stretching, glancing at Lily’s face "Give it McGonagall then, so we can get out of here."

She nodded looking at the pile of papers she’d been searching through "Put those back for me." she said kindly as she headed towards the office door which resided in the very Transfiguration classroom they’d been sat in for 45minutes.

By the time she’d got back into the classroom James had tidied the pile away and slung his bag over his shoulder. "Let’s get out of here before she gets us to find something else."

Lily picked up her bag and followed him out of the door and into the corridor. "Well smell you later Potter." she said as she headed in the opposite direction to him.

"Wait a minute, where are you going?" James called after her.

She turned and smiled "The library! There’s still an hour before curfew and if I’m going to win this bet of ours then I need a couple more books!"

He grinned at her "But it’s only Wednesday, the test isn’t till Friday, there’s ages yet."

Her eyebrows rose "Well if that’s your attitude then I’m even more confident than I was before!" she replied before leaving.

James stood and watched her go with a flick of her pig tails. His head was swimming with the possibilities of Saturday in Hogsmead with the girl of his dreams. Then he remembered he needed a plan…a plan. 

_Sirius!_ he thought suddenly _, that guy has plans to spare!_

 

\-------------------

 

"So you need to ace the Potions test on Friday?" said Sirius thoughtfully rubbing his chin. "May I ask why?" 

James smiled "Alright, but keep it under your hat." and he told Sirius everything that had been said between him and Lily that evening with a bit of a glazed expression on his face.

After he’d finished Sirius let out a bark of laughter "Are you telling me she’s finally agreed to go on a date with you?"

James shrugged "Well only if I get a better mark than her."

"Ah, the test…" continued Sirius laying on his bed casually and leaning his legs against the wall so they were above him; it was his favourite thinking position. "…well you could always confuddle her? So she does lousy?"

James shook is head thoughtfully "No, she’ll realise…"

"Hmmm" said Sirius before exhaling "You know what? I heard Sluggy telling Snivelly that this test is one he gives every year, to see where everyone is." He sat up so he was looking straight at James "So that means…"

James was smiling "…that means there’ll be a paper with the questions on it, and a paper with the answers on it too."

Sirius grinned "I was hoping you’d think of something to do tonight. I get bored when it’s not full moon."

James laughed, slapping Sirius on the shoulder playfully as he sat next to him. "That invisibility cloak is the best thing that ever happened to me!" 

 

**A/N: I'd just like to say that all the characters you know aren't mine, but JK Rowlings. I would never have killed any of them off if they'd have been mine.**

**And thanks to jj for some of the ideas for this fic. If you like, please review?!**


	2. This Can't Be Right?!

** CHAPTER TWO: **

** This can't be right?! **

Friday came around quickly for Lily although when entering the Potions classroom in the dungeons she felt that she couldn’t do any more than she had. There had been no other mention of the wager between her and James although he’d been looking completely unfazed by the prospect of the imminent test.

She took her usual seat next to Remus Lupin and stared at the two blank pieces of parchment that had been placed on her desk. Suddenly she felt a tickling next to her head. 

"Good luck Evans." whispered the familiar voice of James Potter, his breath smelt of peppermint bombs.

Lily felt a trickle of something either scorching hot or freezing cold down her spine. She couldn’t help but smile as she turned to see him straighten up; his aftershave lingered. "Oh _you’ll_ need luck Potter, lots of it."

He was grinning boyishly, his hand rumpling his hair before moving to behind his desk where Sirius gave him a wink.

"Right now!" said the booming voice of the Potions master. He slapped his podgy hands together and rubbed them together. "Hope you’ve all revised! Now there will be one hundred- yes one hundred questions Dreary!" he said pointedly at a Ravenclaw boy who had just mumbled a protest. "Answer all of them, they’re all worth one point, you either get it right or wrong and obviously your mark will be out of a hundred. Good luck and you may begin!" 

He tapped a piece of parchment on his desk with his wand and Lily saw one of the blank pieces in front of her fill with writing. There was a rustling throughout the students as they settled down to their test. Lily looked up at Remus who smiled slightly before mouthing ‘good luck’ to her. She grinned and returned to her test, clearing her mind and picking up her quill. 

_Right_ , she thought, _question one…_

\----------------------

After the hour they had been allocated Professor Slughorn collected all the answers with a flick of his wand and set them all some theory to copy out while he marked at his desk. A low murmur fell upon the classroom.

"Evans!" whispered James, leaning over the gap in between his and Remus’ desks. "Hey Evans!" He threw a piece of torn parchment at her head.

She looked up with a scowl. "What?!" she whispered back.

He grinned "How’d you reckon you did?!"

Lily smiled remembering her surprise at the ease she’d made her way through the test sheet, only a couple made her really think. "Spectacularly, how about you?"

Remus was looking from one student to the other confused. Since when did Lily and James discuss their tests? He had no idea about the wager.

James shrugged but his smile was very wide. "In the bag."

She stuck out her tongue, much to his amusement, defiantly picked up her quill and started copying from the blackboard. She was confident that she had beaten him, no matter how cocky he looked. Her mind began to wonder away from her page; what if he had beaten her? She’d be so embarrassed and then would have to endure going on a date with him.

…although… 

_No_ , she thought, _not although! There is no although!_

\------------------------------

By the end of the lesson Professor Slughorn had finished marking and was looking pretty pleased. "Well, I’m pleasantly surprised!" he was saying as he was handing the parchments back. "Apparently you have all learnt something these past seven years!" He chuckled passing Lily her results and winking at her. 

She smiled back at him and looked hungrily at her mark. There was a big 97 written in green ink in the margin. Ninety seven; that was an excellent mark! It meant she’d only got three wrong! There was no way James could have got better than that! No one could have got better than that. She smiled at her parchment before remembering the wager. She looked up at James who was grinning stupidly.

James had gotten out of his seat and he made his way to in front of her desk. "What you get?" he asked eagerly.

She snatched her parchment from in front of her and held it behind her back. "What did you get first?"

He eyed her suspiciously before his smile reappeared. "I’ll show you mine if you show me yours!"

She pulled a face at him, not noticing both Sirius and Remus watching intently. They swapped answer sheets together and Lily turned around, away from James to read his mark. 

And there it was; a big green 98.

She gasped, her hand reaching to her mouth. "No." 

James was laughing "YES!" he’d shouted, attracting attention from everyone in the room, but not caring. "HA HA!" He had punched the air.

Lily spun round; her face puzzled. "No, this can’t be right!" 

James couldn’t hide the grin on his face. "Told you Evans!"

But she didn’t believe it, she turned to her Potions master. "Professor, this can’t be right…" her voice was unusually high. "Potter can’t have got ninety eight!"

Slughorn smiled. "That’s what I thought but there it is, Potter scored highest in the class believe it or not, you were second with ninety seven and Mr Snape was third with ninety five."

Lily was shaking her head. She looked at James' smug face… how the hell had he done it? 

"What’s going on?" asked Remus who was so confused by his two friend’s behaviour. "Prongs?"

James was still looking at Lily’s face and didn’t answer though Sirius did. "Evans has to go on a date with Prongs tomorrow!" He sounded very amused by this.

"What? Lily?" asked Remus trying to get her attention.

Lily however was blushing profusely. She slammed James’ parchment down on the desk in front of her and turned to James saying "Well done Potter." through gritted teeth before she left the room.

James stared at the point where she had just disappeared still with a grin on his face. He was going out on a date with Lily Evans in the morning! 

Remus was still looking confused. "What’s going on!" he demanded picking up James’s answers and taking Lily’s from his best friend’s hand.

James slowly came to his senses. On the walk up to the great hall for lunch he told his friend about the wager.

\---------------------------

Lily had sat on the opposite side of the table to her friends Mary and Mel. She was still reeling from finding out she’d be attending Hogsmead with James the next day. Her stomach felt queasy. Maybe eating wasn’t such a good idea.

"Hey honey, what’s up with you?" asked Mary, looking at Lily’s still pink cheeks.

Lily looked up. "Oh, nothing, nothing; the Potions room is a bit stuffy." she lied pulling a plate towards herself and spooning potatoes onto it.

"Are you sure?" continued Mary.

"I’m alright, I’m alright…how was Ancient Runes?" she asked changing the subject.

Mary didn’t seem to mind the change in pace and her and Mel told Lily about one of their fellow students balancing on the back two legs of their chair and then falling completely off, hitting his head on the floor. They all laughed.

Someone had plonked themselves next to Lily. She closed her eyes as her stomach lurched violently, recognising the smell of the aftershave. 

"Hello Lily my dear." said James, his expression seemed utterly ecstatic. "You ran out of Potions quickly!"

She could swing for him. He was purposefully rubbing it in. She didn’t reply.

Sirius plonked himself on the other side of her; his grin was wide. "Alright Evans!"

Remus, who had listened to James tell him the whole story of the wager with amusement in his face, sat next to Mary on the opposite side of the table. 

Lily had put her hand on her forehead as if to shield herself from James’ stare but he poked her in the side which made her lower it. "Hey we’ve got discuss the arrangements for tomorrow."

Both Mary and Mel sat up interested.

"Now," continued James, knowing full well Lily was not enjoying this. "I think we should meet in the entrance hall at about ten. It’ll give you enough time to pretty yourself up for me!"

She shot him a ‘you’re dead’ look.

"What’s this?" asked Mel with a smile on her face.

"Lily’s going to Hogsmead with James tomorrow!" announced Sirius triumphantly.

Mary almost choked on a piece of pie as Mel exclaimed "What?!"

Lily jumped in quick before Sirius could continue. "I lost a bet! I’m not going coz I want to!"

Nothing she could say could stop James feeling great. "Hey, that’s not a nice thing to say…I’m looking forward to it."

Mary had regained composure. "But Lil, you can’t go out with Potter…it’s Potter!"

"I know, I know…but my hands are tied." She shook her head at her plate. "It was my bet and he won so I have to."

Sirius had winked at James. Obtaining the answers to the test was easy and a lot of fun. All James had had to do was memorize them and he was laughing.

Mary leant over "But…Potter?" she nudged her head towards him and made a funny face.

James laughed. "Thanks Macdonald!"

"Well," she said to him, not apologetically. "you can’t expect me to be happy that you’ve managed to trick my best mate into going on a date with you!"

"I haven’t tricked anyone!" retorted James a little annoyed. Mary, he suspected, was part of the reason Lily still kept her distance from him. Girls trusted their best friend’s opinions and Mary’s opinion of him was low. "Lily set the wager! I just named my terms!"

Lily had put her head in her hands and was shaking it. "How’d I get into this mess?" she was saying to herself.

"But it’s a nice mess to be in though." said James turning his attention to her, nudging her arm with his elbow.

She let out a snigger but looked at her plate guiltily when he frowned.

"I promise I’ll be a gentleman." he replied quietly. Everyone else around them laughed but James was caught in Lily’s eyes so he didn’t notice. 

She gave him the tiniest of smiles. "You wouldn’t dare be anything but."

He grinned at her now as he turned to help himself to some lunch.

"Well I never thought I’d see the day when Lily Evans agreed to go on a date with James Potter! Whether it’s a bet or not!" exclaimed Mel laughing.

"It’s taken a while!" replied Sirius conversationally.

"Personally" added Remus casually. "I half expected Lily to turn around and say she wasn’t gonna do it!"

Sirius nodded. "Me too, me too."

Lily hit her hand on the desk. "Do you guys mind!" Everyone was looking at her. "Can you just all drop it please? I want to eat my lunch in peace!"

They all looked at one another with amused expressions on their faces. Even James who was pleased she wasn’t going to back down on the bet. A whole morning with Lily Evans was on the horizon and he felt elated about it.

 

\----------------------------

 

It was Saturday morning and Lily had slept very little. Sat on the edge of her bed she was deciding what she should wear that day. The sun seemed to be out and looking out of the window she saw that the weather seemed calm and settled. She flung herself back on her mattress and groaned. Why did she make that stupid wager? Why?

Mary walked past her, a knowing look on her face. "You made the bet! You shouldn’t have agreed to it if you weren’t prepared to go through with it."

Lily sat up and scowled. Her best friend couldn’t possibly know how she was feeling; mainly because Lily hadn’t told her. It wasn’t the fact that she had to spend a couple of hours alone with James that made her feel so queasy; it was the fact that _secretly_ she  wanted to go to Hogsmead with him and _secretly_ she was feeling nervous as anyone would before a big date. She got up and picked a pair of skinny jeans, a floaty dress/top and a small jacket that would keep out the wind but not be to warm. _Pumps or heels_ she wondered as Mary passed her again.

"The pumps darling, otherwise he’ll think you’ve made too much of an effort." she’d muttered by the time she’d got to her bed.

Lily smiled for the first time; no matter how much she protested about her dating a scoundrel like James Potter, Lily knew Mary wouldn’t let her down on the practical side of an imminent date. She busied herself getting ready in the bathroom, taking a little longer than she was used to. She ducked her head out of the bathroom and called to her friends "Hair straight or curly or up or down or what?"

Mel laughed as she crossed her legs on her bed. "Down, and straight."

Lily smiled and returned to the bathroom to straighten her hair with a spell. Her stomach was full of butterflies and she didn’t think she would be able to eat breakfast. As she left the bathroom her friends were staring at her. "What?"

Mary replied "You look very nice."

Mel giggled. "A little too nice."

Lily shook her head as her chest panged. She knew her friends were probably thinking exactly what she didn’t want them to think; the truth. "Well just because this is a lost bet doesn’t mean I have to go looking mangy!" She wasn’t looking at them, hoping her cheeks were their usual colour.

"Ah I get it." said Mary standing, straightening her skirt. "You’re going to show him what he’s missing…make his eyes pop out and then amuse yourself with telling him he can’t have you, is that it?"

Lily shrugged. "I dunno…you could see it like that."

"Or," added Mel, a cheeky look on her face. "you could actually be looking forward to this date and want to look your best so his socks will be knocked off and you can get busy!"

Lily threw a pillow that just missed Mel’s head. "Shut up Mel!" she said hoping beyond hope her friends hadn’t noticed her blushing.

They however had and it made them laugh. "Why can you not just admit to us that you like Potter?" asked Mary.

Lily flicked some hair out of her eyes. "I don’t know what you’re on about."

"Yes you do!" replied Mary, "I would have thought you’d be able to tell your best friends about it." her smile had faded.

Lily felt guilty. She hadn’t avoided telling them of her increasing feelings for James because she didn’t trust them, it was just she really didn’t want to admit it out loud because that would make it real and she wasn’t sure if she wanted it to become real. 

Mel had gotten off her bed and was now stood next to her. "Do you like James?" she asked steadily.

Lily groaned. "He might have…grown on me, a little."

Mel jumped up and down excitedly, clapping her hands together. "Oooh I new it! I knew you liked him! And now you’re going on a date!"

"It’s not a proper date!" retorted Lily embarrassedly.

Mary was next to her now too and put her hand on Lily’s shoulder. "But this is James Potter we’re talking about Lil; the guy who’s bugged you since fourth year to go out with him. I mean at the beginning of last year you hated him so what’s changed?"

Lily shrugged. She wasn’t comfortable at all. "I don’t know…he’s grown up a bit."

Mary was shaking her head. "Be careful won’t you?"

Lily knew her best friend was only looking out for her. She nodded and gave her a hug before asking "Do I look ok?"

Mel grinned as did Mary. "You look gorgeous! He won’t be able to resist you."

Lily pulled a face "I don’t want anything to happen…like you said, its James Potter."

Mel’s face fell. "But you like him, and he likes you…"

"But it’s Potter! He’d never take it seriously." retorted Lily busying herself.

Mary was shaking her head. She knew Lily was only saying this so she wouldn’t have to make any moves on James, and so she could batter off any moves he made on her. _Poor girl_ , she thought to herself, _pride can get in the way of all sorts of things._ __

\--------------------

__

James had gotten up early. He’d tried to stay in bed but his stomach was not letting him stay settled. He’d already been to breakfast by the time his friends had woken. Walking back into his dormitory he grinned as a very tousle haired Remus sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Alright Moony?"

Remus grinned. "The big day today Prongs, are you nervous?"

James shrugged, shuffling his feet. "Have you got any advice?" Remus was the guy to go to for advice about Lily. She was very fond of him and they had been good friends since fifth year and although James got jealous sometimes he had learnt that if he wanted to get anywhere with her he’d have to listen to what Remus had to say.

Remus stretched and threw his head back on his pillow. "Well…apart from telling you not to show off…" He rubbed his eyes and yawned. "…you’ve got to be patient."

"Patient? Don’t you think he’s been patient enough!" asked Sirius from the other side of the room. James hadn’t realised he was awake.

Remus sat back up replying to Sirius. "Yes but this isn’t a proper date is it?" He turned back to James. "I mean she didn’t exactly ask you out or anything, she’s doing it because she lost a bet."

James sat on the edge of Remus’ bed. "Thanks Moony, that’s made me feel a lot better about it."

Remus let out a sigh. "I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just saying you can’t expect her to fall into your arms. In fact you’re going to have to play coy."

At this Sirius let out a bark of laughter that woke Peter up with a start. "Coy!? James has never been coy in his life!"

They all laughed, well all except Peter who was rubbing his eyes sleepily and looking around the room. "What time is it?" he asked yawning widely.

Sirius threw a pillow at him. "Its bed time Wormtail, go back to sleep if you’ve not got anything insightful to share with us!" He then stretched casually. "I reckon you should go for it!" he continued, putting his feet on the floor and dragging himself out of bed, taking his covers with him.

James grimaced at his friend then turned back to Remus. "What do you reckon?"

Remus was shaking his head. "If you want to mess it up then you should follow Padfoot’s advice."

James agreed with Remus; Sirius had always had luck with girls, but none of the girls he’d dated were like Lily; headstrong and feisty. No, when it came to Lily, Sirius’s advice was the worst to take and always got James into trouble. 

Sirius was in the bathroom now but was still shouting through. "If you carry on biding your time you’ll end up waiting forever! You’ll be old and grey before she agrees to give you a snog!"

"If she ever does." added Peter quietly; he’d gotten out of his bed too and was searching under his bed for something.

"Shut up Wormtail!" retorted James, annoyed. "What would you know about kissing girls?"

At this Peter went a very deep shade of maroon as he emerged from his search with a half eaten candy bar in his hand.

Sirius came out of the bathroom laughing at James’ last comment. "Yeah Wormtail, I don’t think you can claim to have authority on the subject! Eating maybe but kissing girls…no!"

Remus didn’t laugh; sometimes his friends could be cruel to Peter. "Look, Prongs I just think that if you carry on with what you’ve been doing it’s bound to work in the end. I mean you two have been a lot more friendly recently right?"

James nodded. He and Lily had been much friendlier to one another.

"Well then, you must be doing something right. Trying it on with her now would just undo nearly one and a half months of work! Not to mention all that time before summer." said Remus matter of factly.

"Yeah but she was dating that prat Jason before summer." added Sirius who’d climbed back into his bed. "Prongs couldn’t very well ask her out then? Jason would have flattened him!"

"Still," retorted Remus "it all counts in her eyes."

James shrugged. He’d been looking forward to his date yesterday, but the more he thought about it the more he realised things could go wrong. Remus was right; he’d been trying since the beginning of the year to be less…well less of a pest and Lily had been responding. If he screwed it up now he would be back at square one and he couldn’t bear her ignoring him again.

"Prongs?" shouted Sirius, chucking his other pillow at James’ head. "Oi! Earth to a stag named Doofus!"

James snapped out of his thoughts and turned to throw the pillow back at Sirius who ducked and continued "Come on man…so it’s the chance you’ve been waiting for, for six years? So if you screwed it up now you might have screwed it up for good…don’t fret, you could be Wormtail!"

They all laughed, including Peter, but a little more nervously than the rest.

 

 


	3. Hogsmead, Finally, After Six Years!

** CHAPTER THREE: **

** Hogsmead, Finally, After Six Years! **

As she made her way to the entrance hall she could feel her stomach churning violently. _What’s the problem_ , she thought, _I’ve spent time with him before_ , _nothings changed_! But something had changed. She thought back to the conversation she’d had with her friends in their dormitory. She couldn’t believe she’d confessed to liking James, and now it was out there, in the big wide world and it didn’t make it any easier.

She looked at her small watch. It told her she was ten minutes late; _not bad_. Whe she rounded the corner and saw him; her knees almost gave way. James was stood just left of the big oak doors wearing jeans and a crumpled white pinstriped shirt over a black t-shirt and his hair was as untidy as ever. She watched him a moment as he’d not seen her; he looked nervous, fiddling with something gold in his right hand, his left reaching to rumple his hair every now and again.

Lily half wanted to turn and run but stopped herself and counted slowly to ten. Then she shook her beautiful head of velvety auburn hair before walking confidently down the steps to where James was waiting for her.

When he spotted her she was half way down the stairs. He quickly stashed whatever he’d had in his hand into his pocket. The smile he gave wasn’t the normal James Potter grin; it was nervous and less natural. 

"You look nice." 

A pang hit her chest. "Erm, thanks." She wished he’d look somewhere else.

They stood a moment sheepishly looking at the floor. _Oh this is stupid_ , she thought getting frustrated with herself _, it’s only Potter_! "Come on then, let’s get this over and done with!" she said aloud, not unkindly.

James didn’t smile, instead his face was serious. "You know, you don’t have to come…I mean if you really don’t want to. I’m not going to force you." His face only left the ground for a fleeting second before he returned his gaze to his trainers.

Lily’s gut reaction was to run, but she stood firm. _No_ , she thought to herself, _I’ve just admitted to wanting this to myself; I’m not going to chicken out_. "I’m not welching on our wager! A bets a bet so lets get going."

James’s face lifted as he followed her through the big oak double doors flanking the entrance, his hand rumpling his hair again. "If you’re sure?"

She felt the overwhelming urge to stomp on his foot for making this so difficult.

When she didn’t reply and kept on going he smiled and placed himself at her side thinking _don’t screw this up, just be yourself and don’t show off._

They made their way down the winding gravel driveway of Hogwarts castle exchanging nervous niceties. James made sure he thought about everything properly before he said it, as not to embarrass himself. By the time they reached Hogsmead they’d talked about the weather, their Transfiguration essay due in on Monday and even discussed Hagrid’s new puppy, a very large mastiff by the name of Fang; the size of a fully grown dog but he was only a few months old.

James glanced over to Lily strolling casually beside him. Her hair was like a sheet of silk, hanging across her face, framing it in deep red. He noticed she was wearing a little more makeup than usual but naturally so, enhancing her dazzling emerald coloured eyes and putting a little colour in her cheeks; or was that natural blush? He didn’t know, but he knew he liked the way she looked. He felt so incredibly lucky to be heading into Hogsmead with Lily. 

Although she was not as striking as Jodie, a fellow seventh year Gryffindor girl and one of Lily's friend's who had long blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes, she was still very desirable and turned many heads. Jodie’s beauty was more obvious, more on the surface but Lily’s beauty went deeper. You could see it in her eyes and her smile, like if you burrowed into her you’d find precious stones and jewels instead of mere coal. Her inner beauty dazzled every now and again, if you were watching closely enough you’d see it; when she was sat concentrating on a piece of work with the tip of her tongue poking out between her lips, or when she was reading a novel and tears would run down her cheeks before she could wipe them because of a sad part. It was this beauty James liked most about Lily. He would watch her covertly for hours just to see a glimpse of the real Lily Evans. But she would close up like a clam if she knew he was watching her, never letting him close in.

"So what do you need from Hogsmead, anything?" Lily was asking, watching a bird twitter on a fence post.

James snapped back to reality with a bump. "Sorry what?"

She looked over at him, purposefully talking slowly like he couldn’t speak English. "Do - you - want - anything - from - the - village?"

His cheeks flushed, his hand reached for his hair and he rumpled it before replying. "Alright Miss Sarcasm, I hear you! I only need Zonko’s."

She nodded a smirk on her face. "Now I think I could have guessed that!"

He shrugged. "Do you need anywhere?"

She put a hand in her pocket, unknowingly imitating James. "Well, I usually tend to buy half of Honeydukes."

He laughed. "Ah yes, you’re a self proclaimed chocoholic aren’t you?"

She shot him a sideways glance and replied, but not unkindly "Maybe I am and maybe I’m not!"

They chuckled a while, their feet shuffling on the dry dirt as there had been no rain for a while. The summer seemed to be trying to hang on as long as it could, only giving into autumn by letting the leaves turn orange and red.

As they came to the village they saw it bustling with students and shoppers alike. Why anyone would want to shop in Hogsmead on a Saturday with all the Hogwarts students around was beyond Lily; but there they were, weaving in and out of little bobbing third years. "Right, Zonko’s first and then Honeydukes." said Lily firmly as she headed into the throngs.

James had to rush to keep up, trying to keep her rapt in conversation as they shopped. He tried to ignore the girls giggling at him, hoping Lily hadn’t noticed them. 

They made their way around Zonko’s, Lily laughing at some of the new merchandise on sale and James stocking up on various pranking objects. To keep the peace between them Lily said she’d turn a blind eye to them as most of the items in his hands were band by Filch at the castle. And similarly they wandered through the scores of students in Honeydukes, tasting the free samples of a new type of chocolate that sparkled on your tongue like fireworks as it melted. James was surprised at how effortless it seemed to be to make Lily laugh and before long they were giggling about allsorts.

Lily was starting to feel a little easier. At first she’d been tied up in knots, but was loosening up nicely. In fact, she felt able enough to suggest getting something to eat, apart from free chocolate, as she’d not had breakfast.

"Pumpkin Pasties?" asked James in reaction. He bought two pasties from a wizard with a stand outside The Three Broomsticks, to protests from Lily who wanted to pay for hers. "I made you come out with Me." said James laughing slightly. "The least I can do is pay." 

So they walked a little out of the village and sat on a grass verge by a small park. The odd witch and wizard walked past from time to time but other than that the rest of Hogsmead’s population were elsewhere. They sat eating their warm pasties in silence. After they’d finished they both wished they could think of something to say. 

James remembered what Remus told him just before he left the boys dormitory for the entrance hall. He’d told him to ask her questions about herself, because although James had practically stalked her for the past three years he still knew very little about the real Lily Evans. James let out a sigh and leaned back on the grass, rubbing his stomach. "You know, it has just come to my attention that I know hardly anything about you." He hoped it was a safe line of conversation.

She turned to look at him, lounging on the grass as if it were a sofa. His glasses flashed in the sun and his hair, as per usual, stuck up. Her heart fluttered a moment at the handsome boy laid casually next to her but she controlled it forcefully. "You’re probably right."

He sat up, resting his arms on his knees that were bent; his feet solidly on the ground "Go on then…tell me about yourself."

She let out a laugh. "Tell you about myself? Like what? What size shoe I take or where I stand on the rights of house elves?"

He grinned, her wit taking him by surprise. "The shoe thing…I don’t fancy getting into a debate about elfish welfare."

"Eights." she said simply.

"Eights?!" he exclaimed surprised.

She laughed. "I know, I know, I have big feet for a girl!"

He was smiling too. "See, I didn’t know that. I take a size ten by the way…if ever you fancy buying me slippers for Christmas." His grin was the same boyish grin Lily found herself, much to her distress, coveting everyday.

She tried not to look at him. "The only thing you should get for Christmas is a sack of soot!"

He laughed loudly. "My mum and dad tried to do that one year! They put a sack of coal at the end of my bed on Christmas morning." Lily had raised her eyebrows. "But I knew they’d bought me presents, I’d found them in their hiding place in the attic the day before."

She shook her head, softly laughing. "So even your parents know you’re a scallywag?"

He shrugged happily before getting back to the subject he’d broached. "So what else can you tell me?"

"Like what?"

"Well…you’re favourite subject?" Here he pulled a face that made her laugh.

"It’s a tie between Charms and Potions." she replied through giggles. "And yours?"

He pretended to deliberate this. "Well honestly none…but if I have to chose then…Care of Magical Creatures."

She was nodding slowly. "And why’s that?"

He shrugged. "I suppose it’s coz we’re outside mainly, instead of being cooped up in a bloody classroom all the time."

"Ah, so you’re an outdoorsy kinda guy?"

He nodded smiling again. "That’s me!" He shifted in the grass, leaning back again but propping himself up on an elbow as he was facing her. "Right, what’s your favourite…food?"

She turned a little too, so she didn’t have to twist her neck round to speak to him. "Now that’s too unspecific! Do you mean what’s my favourite meal or my favourite pudding? Or my favourite meat, or vegetable, or fruit; because they’re all different!"

He pulled a face. "Erm, well…all of it then?"

She waited a minute, trying to decide whether he was just humouring her or whether he did actually want to know. When he urged her on she spoke. "Well…my favourite meal is lasagne! I love lasagne, especially when I make it, I make a mean lasagne! Then my fave pud is…apple crumble and custard, you can’t beat homemade apple crumble and custard. My favourite meat is beef…well steak to be specific. My favourite vegetables are mushrooms; oh I could eat them till they came out my ears! And my fave fruit…"

James butted in. "I know this one; its oranges right? Coz you always nick Moony's orange sweets when he’s got them!"

She smiled but shook her head. "Nope, nice try though…you pay attention." She was secretly quite impressed that he’d noticed this little piece of information about her.

His face was quizzical, he was sure orange was her favourite fruit, she sometimes sat at the back of Charms eating one, offering segments around. "Go on then, what’s you’re favourite fruit?"

"Well…not many people know this but I have a bit of a thing for cherries."

He raised his eyebrows; _she has a little bit of a thing for them hey?_ "Cherries?" he asked casually, making a mental note.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yep, I can get through a large brown paper bag full of big ripe cherries in no time! And enjoy myself too!"

He laughed.

"Actually can I change my favourite pudding?" she asked suddenly.

He nodded, "It’s your favourite, you can do what you like!" he said amused at her sudden hand movement to her mouth, as if she’d just made a big mistake but was excited about it.

"Right, instead of apple crumble and custard I love, not just like but LOVE hot cherry pie and chocolate ice cream!" She definitely looked excited now.

His eyebrows furrowed in the middle. "Cherry pie? I’ve never had cherry pie."

She looked shocked. "Oh my god, you don’t know what you’re missing! It’s heavenly!"

_No, you are heavenly; _thought James, having to stop himself from saying it out loud. "Err; well I’ll have to try it sometime." he said embarrassedly.

She nodded her approval and looked expectantly at him. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"What’s your favourite food?" she asked. "Or don’t you care so long as it’s edible and fills you?"

"Oh," He sat up, crossing his legs and looked thoughtful. "Well, I like Sunday roasts, my mums…I can’t even cook beans on toast! My fave pudding is sticky toffee pudding, the house elves make the best! I love roast beef, that’s what mum cooks with Sunday dinner, my favourite vegetable is…well potatoes, I’m not a big fan of vegetables really and…what was the other?"

"Fruit?"

"Ah yes, I like…erm, bananas are ok…I like apples too I suppose. I’d rather eat a cream cake though."

Lily laughed, nodding slightly. "Fantastic."

They sat a moment looking at one another embarrassedly; they’d run out of things to say. James thought of something quickly. "The best present you’ve ever got?"

Lily’s eyebrows rose slightly before looking away. "Erm, I dunno…" She was frowning, racking her brains. "What’s yours?"

He knew exactly what he wanted to say. He wanted to say that the best present he’d ever got was the box of Honeydukes chocolate she had gotten for him on his seventeenth birthday. He'd been over the moon with it and refused to let his friends eat any. He still had the box, though the sweets had long since been devoured. Secretly he cherished it, it coming from her. It was the only thing she had ever given him, well apart from Christmas cards with ‘to Potter - from Lily’ in them. This had been given to him just as they were becoming friends. 

He knew he couldn’t tell her that though so he said "When my dad gave me my new broomstick." She nodded, looking at him knowingly before rolling her eyes. Oh how he wished he could tell her the truth. "Well, he gave it me as a well done for getting the Head Boy spot. He was proud of me I think."

Lily felt bad for rolling her eyes. James seemed to be quite pleased that his dad had been proud of him. "That’s nice." she said honestly, hoping her sincerity would make up for her first reaction.

His smile was sheepish, "Come on then Evans, what’s yours?"

She couldn’t think, what was the best thing anyone had ever given her? Her hand reached for her chest. She took out from under her top a small oval locket on a long silver chain. It was so long so she could wear it unknown under her school uniform. "This I reckon." Her fingers rubbed its silver exterior like they had so many times before. "My mum and dad gave it me when I went home for Christmas in first year. It’s got pictures of them in it." She opened its tiny clasp and offered it to James to see.

James leant over, conscious of her scent, and saw the two tiny pictures of a man and a woman. He smiled at her, so that’s was what was in her locket! He had often wondered, spotting it dangling from her neck sometimes but had never thought to ask her. He had always kind of liked to think maybe one day she’d have a heart shaped locket with a picture of him in it.

She closed it, stashing it under her top again. "They gave it me so I wouldn’t forget what they looked like." She was smiling. "Apparently they hated me being so far away from them." She looked sheepish.

James grinned "Really? My parents thought it was a good thing."

This made Lily laugh a lot. She could understand this; James must have been a difficult child with his excessive rule breaking. 

He adored the way she laughed. When she was laughing, when she was really laughing, he spotted some of that inner beauty he loved so much. She ran her fingers through her hair and exhaled while James watched her hungrily. He wanted to touch it, to run his fingers through it tenderly; if only she’d just let him.

Lily looked at her watch; it told her they’d been away from the castle for nearly three hours. "Jeeze, shall we get back to the castle?"

James’s stomach fell to the floor. He didn’t want to end it; he wanted to sit with her there for the whole day. Maybe he was kidding himself, she really was just there to see out the bet they’d made and not because she wanted to. He gingerly stood wiping the grass off his jeans smiling at Lily when she smiled at him. 

They made their way back through Hogsmead slowly; what was he going to do? Should he ask her into The Three Broomsticks? No, Sirius would be in there and would embarrass them too much. Dam, he wanted to tell her how he felt but knew he shouldn’t. If only he knew how she felt…if he was barking up the wrong tree or if she really did want to go with him, he _had_ given her the option to turn back. 

He couldn’t help himself, he needed to ask her; but James being James he couldn’t just ask her straight out. He let out a loud huff of air and rumpled his hair with his hand till she looked over. "It’s funny, isn’t it?" He glanced sideways.

"What’s funny?" asked Lily.

He slid his hands into his pockets, casually shrugging. "The one time you don’t get full marks on a Potions test is the one time we have a bet on." He kept his voice light; like he was starting a conversation but really he was testing the water.

They were heading out of the village now, towards the entrance gates of Hogwarts. "What are you getting at?" she asked- an inkling into what he was trying to say. 

He shrugged again. "Maybe you wanted to give me a chance to beat you."

And there it was. Lily was sure he would say something sometime. It was too good to be true; him being pleasant and friendly all day.

"Perhaps," he continued not noticing the shift in her mood "perhaps subconsciously you were hoping I’d win…"

But she cut him off abruptly; physically blocking his way. "Look Potter, why do you have to push everything?" She was trying not to lose her temper.

He was taken aback by her sudden outburst; something he was hoping wouldn’t happen. "What?" he said a little thickly, reaching his hand to his hair.

"You constantly push! You push everything. All the time all you do is push, push, push! You can’t just leave things alone can you?" She blew some hair out of her eyes with a loud huff.

James tried to say something but he was stopped by her hand. "Why can you never just let things happen naturally? Why’d you always have to spoil it? I mean we’ve been having a good time today right?" She didn’t wait for a reply. "I mean you’ve been pretty normal up till now." she said the threat of a smile on her lips.

He didn’t know what to say. Was she complimenting him or chastising him or what? 

"Just for once in your life James Potter can you stop pushing? Have you ever wondered if you stopped pushing what would happen?" It didn’t sound like she was telling him off - well not in the usual way anyway.

"Can we just get to the end of today without you forcing things? And then when Mary asks me later whether I had a good time I can say yes." Her hands were by her sides, not folded across her chest like they usually were. 

James just stared a moment. He was sure when she stopped him he’d blown it, but was pleasantly surprised when she didn’t shout. "Erm, alright." he said not knowing what her expectant expression wanted to hear.

She smiled a little moving back to his side continuing slowly down the lane. He followed, his hand nervously rumpling his hair, not understanding what had just happened. Had she just basically told him that if he stopped bugging her she’d…what would she do? He was confused.

Lily was now humming to herself, proud of the way she’d just handled the situation. She didn’t want him to ruin what had otherwise been quite a nice date. They’d been connecting and she couldn’t bear for them to fall out. "So, it’d be ridiculous asking you what your favourite sport is." she said conversationally.

He stared at her. "Erm, yeah…" So she wasn’t mad with him? 

She looked at him now and smiled politely. "You know, I like to watch Quidditch, it’s an intense game but I don’t profess to be an expert. I don’t see how you can talk about it so much!" 

He blinked. _Alright, we’re going to forget I even spoke, probably for the best._

So they spent the walk back to the castle discussing Quidditch. Lily listened to how passionate James spoke about his favourite sport. She admired passion in people and had never really seen his obsession with Quidditch as a passion. He enjoyed the way she was looking at him, her wide almond shaped eyes glancing at his face, watching his hands move as he explained moves enthusiastically. 

By the time they’d got to the entrance hall Lily was confused by Quidditch moves, teams and tactics.

"You don’t get any of this do you?" he asked amusedly.

She grinned, shaking her head. "Are you mad?"

He looked confused. "Why would I be mad?" 

She shrugged, moving away from him.

He felt the sudden urge to grab her, to tell her how he felt and that he could never be mad with her. He was aware they’d reached the end of their date and he felt like he needed to know where he stood. "Evans?"

She looked curiously at him. "Yeah?"

He swallowed hard, how could he put it so she wouldn’t shout? "Hypothetically…" She raised an eyebrow. "and I’m not pushing! This is me completely not pushing! If I were to…hypothetically…ask whether you might like to…hypothetically do something like this again, hypothetically, do you think that hypothetically you might say yes? Hypothetically." He looked at her hopefully.

Lily stared for a moment, she couldn’t be cruel and ask him to repeat it but she did laugh. It was hard not to. "Erm…hypothetically?"

He smiled sheepishly; he knew he must have sounded like an idiot. His hand was tangled in his hair.

She flicked a piece of hair from her face and took a deep breath…this was it, time to take a little leap of faith. "Hypothetically, maybe I might."

He blinked, watching her turn away, down an outside corridor. She had just said maybe, a very bizarre maybe but a maybe. He felt elated, like he’d just shot up from the ground on his broomstick. He hurried to her side; she was walking slowly, not looking at his face; were her cheeks blushing?

"You know, I was quite impressed with your score on that Potions test." she said her eyes ahead of her.

He felt a pang of guilt hit his stomach. He hated lying to Lily, but she’d be mad if he told her the truth. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, you know I take all that crap about you being thick back. You proved you can apply yourself very well." She glanced at him now. Really she had been impressed, well after she’d gotten over losing the bet. "I actually feel awful for teasing you...not to mention looking like a berk with a measly ninety seven. I don't think I'll ever get over that mark."

Now he really felt guilty. "Oh Evans ok." He knew this was a bad idea but couldn’t stop himself. This was one of those times when he knew he'd look back and say 'Why the hell did I do it? Why?' He drew to a halt and she stopped too, looking confused. "Now don’t get mad ok? Well you will get mad but please, I did it for all the right reasons, honestly."

She looked more confused now. "Potter what are you on about?"

"I cheated." he said quickly, closing his eyes, awaiting the slap to his face.

"You what?" she said quietly, squinting a little.

He knew he couldn’t take it back and he wished he could. "I cheated…on the test, I nicked the answers so I’d win…" 

Lily blinked, her head tilting slightly, her lips opening but closing straight afterwards. How should she feel about this? Well surprisingly she wasn’t mad. She’d enjoyed the day and really, being completely honest with herself when he’d given his terms for the bet she’d been glad he wanted to go to Hogsmead with her and wanted him to win. 

He felt rotten, and still she hadn’t exploded _; this was going to be a big one._ "Look, I wanted to go to Hogsmead with you ok, and well I saw my opportunity and took it. It was wrong and I’m sorry but I’m still glad I did it. There was no way I could have beaten you honestly." 

Suddenly Lily spun round, so her back was to him. Her fist clenched but not because she was mad, but because he had just admitted to wanting to go out with her. He was finally being honest with her.

"Evans…" He regretted telling her. "Please I shouldn’t have…I should have just asked…"

Lily started walking away, there was only one way she could get out of this embarrassing situation and that was by ignoring it. When she was a good few feet away she turned back to see a very dejected and worried looking James Potter. "Well, are you coming to the common room Potter or are you just gonna stand there all day?" Her voice was pleasant, playful.

_Now this is the most unexpected thing that could happen._ James was gob smacked. He had just admitted to cheating in a test so Lily would have to go out with him. He deserved a dead eye at least…at the very least. He slowly followed behind her; sure she’d turn quickly and hex him _._

They didn’t speak the rest of the way to the common room. James wasn’t sure if she was giving him the silent treatment. 

When they entered the Gryffindor common room Sirius stood from his seat in the middle of the room, apparently he had returned from Hogsmead early. "Ah ha!"

James’ gut automatically fell.

"How’d it go then? Have you snogged yet?" This question was directed at Lily. 

She was expecting something like this and shrugged casually. "Not so I noticed. Besides, I didn’t want to make you jealous. I know how much you love him." And she turned around to walk over to her friends who were by a window, but not before giving James a cheeky grin. "Smell ya later Potter."

James lifted a hand as if to say bye and sat on a chair with his friends, still a little dumbstruck that she hadn’t shouted or yelled or even got mad.

"Well?" asked Remus, looking over the top of his half finished Transfiguration essay.

James shrugged, emptying his pockets.

Remus looked puzzled. Peter moved closer to James. "How was it?"

A smile crept across his face, actually it had been great. They’d got on well, and he’d asked her if she’d like to do it again and she’d said maybe… not to mention what had just happened. He thought to himself; _what has just happened?_ He glanced over to Lily, chatting quietly to her friends. She looked up suddenly and gave him a little smile. He looked away after smiling back, _she just smiled at me_. Noticing all his friends watching him he shrugged again. "It was fantastic." 

 


	4. Reflections

** CHAPTER FOUR: **

** Reflections **

"He cheated?"

It was early evening and Lily was sat on her bed, surrounded by three of her friends; Mary, Mel and Jodie. She was telling them what had happened when she’d been in Hogsmead with James, and more importantly what had happened when they’d got back to the castle.

Mary was shaking her head. "I should have known! I hope you gave him a gob full!" She knew it was a bad idea for Lily to go out with him, even if it was for a bet. 

Lily looked away from her best friend, trying to avoid eye contact.

"Please tell me you shouted at him." added Mary, noticing Lily’s sudden shyness.

Lily shrugged. "I kind of just…well I ignored it."

Jodie was laughing. "You ignored it?" she stopped when Mary gave her a contemptuous look.

"Yeah well…you know, I mean I don’t agree with him cheating…and it was kind of sneaky but…" She didn’t want to say it…Mary would never understand the way his smile made her stomach flip. "…but I enjoyed myself, no matter whether I was there under false pretences."

Mel started to giggle; she was by far the giggliest girl of the group. She wasn’t what you would call a gifted witch, she struggled in a few of her subjects, but she was completely adorable and it was hard not to love her. Lily knew what Remus saw in her; even if he wouldn’t admit it. 

Lily was right, Mary didn’t understand. James Potter had bugged Lily for years, and she had hated him all that time. She didn’t know how her feelings could change so dramatically in less than a year. She just shrugged, not knowing what to say.

Jodie was the one to speak, having the most experience with guys. "Well I think it’s safe to say he still fancies the pants off you."

Lily tried not to blush; the thought of James fancying her still made her head light. "But I don’t know whether I want to...you know, do anything about It." she muttered to the bedspread.

Jodie nodded knowingly. "Of course you do." she said matter-of-factly. "You just want to let it happen organically, that’s all."

"So you’re just going to let him get away with it then?" asked Mary, still unsure what the attraction was. "He cheated in a test so you’d have to go on a date with him and lied to you…only owning up coz he felt guilty!"

Jodie frowned at her. "At least he felt guilty! The old James Potter wouldn’t have bothered."

Mary seemed a little annoyed that Jodie was arguing with her about it. What would she know anyway; she swanned around on the arms of various good looking boys completely oblivious to what was going on around her, completely oblivious to the six years of Lily getting utterly frustrated by Potter pestering her.

Before Mary could reply Lily started speaking, knowing the flash in her eyes was anger. "Look Mary honey I know you’re just being protective of me and I love you for it but Jodie has a point. The old James would have let me think otherwise forever, but he _did_ tell me the truth and he looked really sorry." Mary rolled her eyes but Lily carried on regardless. "Besides, you don’t really honestly think I’m going to let him get away with it do you?"

Three pairs of interested eyes looked at her smirking face, wondering what she was thinking.

\----------------------------

 

James had gone through the entire day with Remus. He was still completely unsure as to what had really happened. Remus sat and listened patiently; he knew how much James liked Lily and he supposed it was kind of sweet, if not annoying sometimes. Sirius however had lost his patience long ago and had disappeared to find his girlfriend for some ‘broom closet action’ as he liked to call it. Peter just sat listening silently, behind a book, pretending to read. 

"I can’t believe you told her you cheated." said Remus shaking his head, a hint of a smile on his face. "What were you thinking?"

James shrugged. "I’ve no idea. But she didn’t mind." he said thoughtfully, remembering her shouting back to him after walking away, her voice pleasant.

Remus was frowning. "That’s not like the Lily Evans I know."

"It’s not like the Lily Evans I know either." added James. "But honestly she just ignored it; like I’d not said anything."

Remus rubbed his chin and let out a sigh. He knew what it meant, that Lily was indeed warming to him, but didn’t want to tell James knowing if he knew he would do something rash and ruin it all. Instead he shook his head slightly, shrugging.

James was frowning at his hands. "I just wish I knew what she was thinking." 

This made Remus laugh. "If we knew what girls thought I reckon we’d be scared!"

This put a little smile on James’s face. "Yeah probably." He leant against Remus’s bed post, staring out of the window, going over everything again. He remembered something and his heart leapt. "She said she might agree to do something with me again."

Remus raised his eyebrows. "She said that?"

"Well," James remembered how he’d asked her and felt stupid. "well hypothetically she said maybe she might…"

Remus looked sceptical.

"It’s better than nothing right?" said James hopefully. When his friend didn’t reply he let out a huff.

"I thought she’d asked you to stop pushing." asked Remus conversationally. 

James looked up and reached his hand to his hair. "Well yeah, but I was asking a hypothetical question…she thought it was funny." Or had she just laughed at him because he sounded ridiculous? 

Remus sat forward talking earnestly. "Well she gave you the most valuable piece of advice anyone can; stop pushing it." James nodded slowly. "Just do as you’re doing, she practically told you things might happen if you stop forcing it."

James’s spirits rose. She had said that, but he hadn’t noticed at the time. The only thing was that he wanted to be with her so badly it almost hurt. Everyday he tried to be just her friend and every step closer he got to her it was taking more and more resolve. Sometimes he even felt guilty about the thoughts he had about her in her presence; she had no clue how he really felt and he knew if he told her she’d bolt.

\------------------------------

Sunday went by without incident. Lily smiled at James across the dinner table and in the common room. She wasn’t ignoring him but she wasn’t being overly friendly either. His head was spinning with random thoughts and feelings and by the end of the day he had a headache.

"Are you still thinking about it?" asked Sirius with a huff. "You just won’t let go will you? You’re worse than Padfoot with a bone!" This last comment made the group of boys explode with laughter.

Lily had looked over from her table full of homework at the commotion and grinned at James shyly; he’d grinned back gormlessly reaching for his hair. Perhaps she _was_ warming to him, he thought…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	5. Revenge is a Dish Best Served...Silent!

** CHAPTER FIVE: **

** Revenge is a Dish Best Served...Silent! **   


Lily turned around and urged her friends to be quiet with a finger to her lips. Mel and Mary giggled silently. They were all huddled on the landing outside the seventh year boy’s dormitory. It was seven thirty in the morning and all sounded quiet through the door. She turned the handle slowly and opened it carefully, stepping into the room with her eyes closed.

"If you have anything on display you don’t want us to see…" she said loudly to more giggles from her friends. "…then put it away coz we’re coming in!" They looked around at the stirring bodies in their beds. She looked over to Remus who had sat up, his hair ruffled and his eyes half closed from sleep. "Awe, doesn’t he look cute in the mornings." said Lily, pulling a cutesy face in his direction.

"Are you talking about me Evans?" asked James who had just reached over to his bed side table for his glasses.

A pang hit Lily. He had no t-shirt on and his chest looked smooth and inviting; his hair stuck up everywhere as he ran his hand through it yawning casually. "Ah, Potter, just the man I need right now."

He raised his eyebrows, moving up his bed as she made her way to him; he was looking around at the other boys in the room. "Yeah?" He felt rather uncomfortable as she sat on the edge of his bed.

Her face was mischievous. "Oh yes…"

The girls were giggling and the other boys were watching interestedly.

"And, err what do you need me for?" he asked suddenly feeling quite vulnerable. 

Her smile was strange. She reached into her robes and pulled out her wand. 

James fidgeted slightly, eying her wand with caution. "What’s that for?"

She was utterly enjoying watching him squirm. Leaning closer to him she put on her most sugary voice. "Come here and I’ll tell you." She beckoned him to come closer to her and as he leant his head forward so she could speak to his ear she raised her wand, saying " _Sonorous incontatem_."

He pulled away quickly, having just been lost in her scent. ‘ _No_ ’ he mouthed but no sound came out.

Lily laughed hysterically, as did the girls who were stood watching too. "What was that Potter?" she asked amused, standing and moving to the door.

‘ _Evans!_ ’ he mouthed, his face red and his eyebrows furrowed, he tried to get up but was tangled in his sheets.

"What’s going on?" asked Remus laughing too.

Lily looked triumphant. "Seen as though Mr Potter cheated in the test on Friday the bet has been voided! And taking into account I held up my side of the bet it’s only fair he does his side."

James face would have been furious if he didn’t find it so funny. So this was his punishment! He knew she couldn’t have let him get away with it completely.

"Never!" said Sirius laughing, looking at his best friend. "So he’s not allowed to speak today?"

"Not a word!" added Mary, feeling this was a great way of getting even with him. 

"And just so you don’t cheat on this too…" She pointed her wand at him again and put a locking charm on him, which basically meant no one could work the counter curse but her.

James was grinning and mouthed something Lily was sure must have been obscenities. She laughed. "Now, now Potter, don’t be like that! I thought you’d be happier with my new tactics…don’t get mad, get even!" and with that she left the room with her friends all laughing hysterically.

James tried to follow but his legs were still trapped and he twisted out of bed, landing on the floor, trying to shout her back. His friends thought it was hilarious and left him on the floor to get himself up.

"I knew there was something wrong with her not shouting at you on Saturday." said Remus chuckling, getting out of bed, his cheeks a little blushed from seeing Mel so early in the morning.

Sirius was still laughing loudly. "Oh you’re going to have a fun day today Prongs! Double Transfiguration with McGonagall and you won’t be able to answer any of her questions!" 

James sighed remembering the lessons he had, but of course no sound came out. Double Transfiguration with McGonagall was alright because he knew most of the answers to the questions, but she would be sure to ask him something, and what could he say? Well nothing. _Lily Evans is a goddess_ , he thought as he dragged himself to the bathroom. He had completely believed she’d let him get away with cheating but now he felt like a complete dunce. When he left the bathroom he looked pleadingly at Sirius.

"Even if I wanted to take it off you mate I couldn’t!" said Sirius knowing what his friend was thinking. "Besides, it serves you right for deceiving her in the first place!"

James opened his mouth in protest.

"Yes well, you came to me." said Sirius chuckling. "You didn’t have to nick the answers but you did it anyway. I just tagged along!"

James felt mutinous. 

\--------------------------

Lily was in an excellent mood as she ate her toast hungrily. Her friends had not stopped giggling about the way she’d gotten James back and the sky underneath the enchanted ceiling was blue and cloudless. Suddenly she felt someone sit next to her and when she turned the grinning face of James Potter was staring back at her. 

She laughed loudly, turning back to her plate. "Alright Potter?"

He nudged her with his finger, still grinning. Then his hand made a ‘so-so’ gesture in front of her.

Everyone around the table, including the other three boys who had come down to breakfast with him laughed. "You are one sneaky customer!" said Sirius, pouring himself a mug of tea.

Lily’s hand reached for her chest and her expression was that of mocked surprise. "Moi? Sneaky! I didn’t cheat on a test so a girl would have to go out with me."

James nudged her and looked concernedly at her. ‘ _It wasn’t like that_ ’ he mouthed and then pulled an angry face because no sound had come out.

Lily shrugged, not looking at him. She didn’t want to have this conversation with him in front of everyone, and not while he couldn’t talk. "You’ve got to admit, it is pretty funny."

James put his hands on his stomach and pretended to laugh like Santa Claus, then his face dropped and he turned to his breakfast, but couldn’t help but smile into his cornflakes at the predicament he was now in because of the beauty sat at is side.

"I’ve a feeling this is going to be a good day!" announced Lily, having finished her toast and reaching for her coffee. 

\--------------------------

Transfiguration was hellish for James. He sat along the back row with the other three Marauders and had to get Sirius to say present for him, however Sirius refused with a grin on his face and it looked like McGonagall was going to ask why James wasn’t there before Remus took it upon himself to say "Present".

Then about half an hour into the lesson the inevitable happened. Professor McGonagall asked James a question. He could see Lily watching him; every inch of her expression dripped in amusement…this was what she had been waiting for.

James shook his head and shrugged, trying to mouth ‘ _I can’t talk_ ’. 

Professor McGonagall stared at him with her harsh grey eyes before saying "Are you going to answer my question Potter?"

James looked deflated. Sirius was trying to disguise laughter next to him as he mouthed ‘ _I can’t talk_ ’ again, reaching for his throat.

"What!?" asked McGonagall, her voice had lost patience.

"He can’t talk professor." 

James looked around surprised at who had just spoken. McGonagall had also turned. "Excuse me Miss Evans?"

She gave James a grin and continued "He’s lost his voice entirely. Woke up this morning and couldn’t speak. He asked, well no Remus asked if I had anything that could sort it out but apparently it’s as stubborn as he is!"

McGonagall turned back to James who was still staring at Lily gone out; why was she helping him out? She’d done it. "Is this true Mr Potter?!" she said, her voice hadn’t lost any of its ferocity. 

James nodded eagerly mouthing ‘ _I’ve no idea what happened_.’

McGonagall eyed the other boys suspiciously, and her gaze landed on Sirius, who looked too amused with the situation. "Mr Black, do you have anything to do with this!" 

Sirius put on his innocent face. "No, not me, I was as surprised as James was."

At this the girls around Lily giggled but stifled them.

"Are you sure this is not just another prank!" asked McGonagall forcefully, taking out her wand.

James shrugged and winced as she tried everything she could to get his voice to return to him, but obviously she could do nothing as Lily had locked the charm so only she could take it off. Once McGonagall was satisfied she could do no more she put her wand back into her robes. "Well, you will have to go to Madame Hitchin in the hospital wing during your break if you’re missing you’re voice, but personally I would urge you to remain this way. It’s much better."

Everyone laughed, including James. Lily looked utterly pleased with herself as the lesson continued without the answer from James. 

\------------------------------

The rest of the day continued much like the Transfiguration lesson. Teachers tried to get James’s voice back believing he was mute because of a prank but of course none of them were successful. After the lessons for the day ended James and his friend made their way to the library where, Remus had joked, James should feel a little more at home. 

When in there James had noticed the seventh year girls sat around a table at the far side of the room; Lily was with them. As his friends busied themselves with starting homework James scrunched up a piece of parchment and threw it so it hit Lily on the head.

She looked up and saw him with a pang in her chest. _Dam this feeling_ , she thought as she smiled at him. His expression was incredibly funny, like he was telling her off silently with his face. She giggled to herself shrugging at him.

He then leant his chin on his hand and sat watching her, amusement in his face.

Lily felt uncomfortable under his gaze. She was used to finding James staring at her, but never this blatantly and never with that look on his face. She turned and stuck her tongue out in his direction.

He smiled, drumming his fingers along his jaw line, his eyes never leaving her. If he couldn’t bug her with his voice he would annoy her by staring.

She was watching him, her eyes slitted and her eyebrows furrowed. _This is so childish_ , she thought as he slitted his eyes too, but she wasn’t going to back down. _If he wants a staring contest across the library then he’ll have one!_

So they both sat their, staring at one another silently, nobody noticing. 

Eventually Lily got bored and mouthed ‘ _What do you want?_ ’ to him.

He shrugged, a smile materialising; he was still resting his chin on his hand. ‘ _Nothing_ ’ he mouthed back.

‘ _Stop it_ ’ she said silently, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

He shook his head. ‘ _Not a chance_ ’ was his reply. He knew he was getting to her and he liked it. 

Though she’d never admit it she liked it too. ‘ _You’re such a prat._ ’ she mouthed pretending to turn back to her work.

He laughed; she wasn’t frowning so it was safe. ‘ _Me?_ ’ he asked, his eyebrows shooting up as if he was innocent.

‘ _Yes!_ ’ she replied, pulling a face at him amusedly.

Remus was watching James confused. "What are you doing?"

James jumped; he had forgotten his mates were sat with him. ‘ _Nothing_ ’ he mouthed shrugging, trying not to look at Lily.

Remus however had seen who he was talking to and grinned at her. Lily felt embarrassed, they’d been found out and now Remus was doing that stupid ‘I know you’ face at her. He then turned back to James, his eyebrows raised. Sirius had gone to chat to some sixth years and Peter was buried behind a book that was almost as big as him. "Doesn’t look like nothing to me mate." he said quietly.

James reached for his hair, his face a little gormless. 

"Does Lily have anything interesting to say or are you two just staring at one another?" he asked amusedly.

James couldn’t help but smile as he shrugged. And at that point his silent conversation with Lily was ended as her friends had decided to leave. She swept past him, smiling at his handsome face.

When she’d left James sighed; she really was quite amazing.

Remus leant over to him "She’s enjoying you’re silence."

James knew he was right, she was enjoying it immensely. 


	6. Rounds Have Never Been So Enjoyable

** CHAPTER SIX: **

** Rounds Have Never Been So Enjoyable **   


It was evening and the Gryffindor common room was buzzing quietly. There weren’t too many people lounging around on the armchairs and sofa’s as most of the students had headed for their dormitories. The marauders were by the fire place where a small fire burnt in the grate, it still being not too cold in the evenings. James was feeling a little fed up of not talking; resorting to carrying some parchment and a quill around so he could communicate with his friends.

Sirius was bored, as per usual, and was refusing to go to bed. "I’m not tired yet." he said when Remus suggested he head upstairs.

"Well find something to do won’t you, and stop moaning about it." replied Remus, who was losing patience with his Potions essay. 

Sirius smirked at his friend’s unusually short temper, throwing a cushion at him. "But annoying you is so much more fun!"

Remus bit his tongue and sat on the cushion that had been thrown at him.

James wanted to tell Sirius to shut up but couldn’t be bothered going through the rigmarole of Sirius laughing and asking him to repeat what he said a little louder. Instead he sighed silently, running his hand through his hair, making it stick up more than usual. Suddenly he noticed Lily stood behind the sofa Sirius was draped across. Her hair had been put back in a smooth pony tail and she was smiling sweetly.

"Alright Potter?" she asked.

James sat up grinning, nodding his head in reply.

She looked around at the other three boys. "Hey guys."

Remus muttered a reply and Peter nodded at her but Sirius pulled a face. "Will you hurry up and take the charm off my best mate, it’s unnatural for him to be this quiet. I’ve been bored all day."

Lily looked amused. "Not yet, we’ve still got our rounds to do, and I’m looking forward to a pleasant and quiet stroll, with no annoying noise."

James looked at his watch. It _was_ time for their rounds, he didn’t realise it was so late. He stood looking at her pleadingly.

"No chance!" she replied to his expression. "I’ve been looking forward to a silent rounds all day."

So James followed her out of the portrait hole and out into the corridor where they started on their usual route around the castle. Lily was smiling as she walked, her hands swinging by her sides and she hummed merrily, making sure she didn’t look in James’s direction.

Eventually he stopped and folded his arms, looking at her moodily.

She stopped too and looked back at him. "What now Potter?" she laughed at his face. "It looks like you’re just about to throw a paddy or something!"

He stomped his foot playfully, trying not to smile but not being able to resist. Then he joined her again and thought desperately for something to break the silence. He remembered how he’d started conversation between them both in Hogsmead and decided to go that route again. Stopping once more he faced her and mouthed ‘ _Tell me some more about yourself_.’

Lily however didn’t understand. "What?" she asked trying to read his lips again. It was no good she didn’t have a clue what he was saying.

So he took the parchment out of his pocket, and wrote it down.

She read it and looked up at him. "Not this again Potter, you already know everything anyone could possibly want to know about a person. You know my shoe size, what all my favourite foods are and that when it comes Quidditch I’m completely ignorant and happily so, so if there’s anything else I can’t think of it."

He was smiling and an idea popped into his head; he wrote it down.

Lily frowned when she saw it. "My family?" She looked a little concerned. "You don’t want to know about my family." James nodded enthusiastically but she shook her head. "No you don’t." She tried to walk away.

James however stopped her and looked earnestly at her nodding slowly. ‘ _Yes I do_ ’ he said silently.

She could tell the sincerity in his face and her stomach squirmed a little. "Alright," she replied cautiously. "but it’s all pretty boring."

He shrugged, smiling lightly at her before they continued walking. He just wanted to hear the sound of her voice next to him.

"Well," she began quietly. "I mean obviously my parents are muggles…" She saw him nod slowly, telling her that he really was interested; so she continued "…and so is my sister Petunia. And well…they’re all as muggle as you can get, I suppose. Especially Petunia, but we don’t get on so…"

He looked curious. ‘ _Why?_ ’ he asked, his hands in his pockets casually.

Lily smiled. "It’s a long story."

He shrugged, if there was a time for someone to tell him a long story then this was it, when he couldn’t reply. He urged her on.

"Oh god, ok well," She took a deep breath. "I suppose she’s a bit jealous. Well, I mean I suppose it started off as jealousy but now she utterly hates me." He frowned questioningly and she shrugged in reply. "Well you see we used to get on, when we were young, she’s a couple years older and when I was little I kind of looked up to her. She was always so well behaved and polite; she wore cute little dresses and headbands and mum and dad were so proud of her. I, on the other hand, was a complete tom boy."

James raised his eyebrows amused.

She noticed and grinned. "I know, I know, but that’s how I was, I’d play with the boy next door instead of the girls in the neighbourhood. Anything he could do I could do better. I refused to wear dresses and skirts and got mucky at every opportunity. You see there’s a wood at the back of our house and we’d ride our bikes in the dirt for hours. You know what push bikes look like, right?"

James nodded. He’d seen push bikes before, in the village where he lived. Wizards didn’t have much need for push bikes and he’d always thought they seemed like too much work.

"Anyway, so I looked up to her and she was the apple of my parents eye and I was just a scruffy little tom boy my dad took to the pub with him on Sundays so I could say cheeky things to his friends." She exhaled deeply. "And then I got my letter."

He was watching her face, her siluette was so perfect.

"And everything changed. Well, when we realised it wasn’t a joke that is. When I went home that Christmas in first year telling stories of broomsticks and levitation my parents were, well, completely enthralled and I started getting all the attention. Every time I went home they got more and more interested in what I was doing, and more and more excited about my return. Petunia however didn’t and I guess she started resenting me." She suddenly felt a pang of guilt. "I shouldn’t have hogged all their attention but it was difficult you know, being away from them all year and only seeing them for Christmas’s and summers." She looked at James for him to back her up.

He nodded knowing how it felt missing your parents in first year. He grew out of it though, when he was about thirteen, preferring to stay at school instead of going home; he always got bored at home.

She returned her gaze forward. "Well, it’s safe to say Petunia wasn’t as impressed with my stories as mum and dad and she’d accuse me of making it all up just to get attention."

James looked shocked, _Lily would never do a thing like that_ , he thought angrily.

She smiled at his reaction. "Yes well…you can’t tell people what to think can you?" She had paused again but eventually continued. "In the end she just got completely wigged out whenever I mentioned anything to do with school or whatever. Last summer was the worst, with me being able to do magic finally. I stopped doing it in the rest of the house and kept it to my bedroom, just to keep the peace. So she wouldn’t call me a freak."

James suddenly looked outraged; why _would anyone call Lily a freak?!_

She laughed at his apparent outrage. "Well thanks for the support Potter." Petunia seemed a thousand miles away from where she was now and she liked it. "Well anyway I would very much like to not talk about her anymore."

James nodded in agreement and stopped turning to Lily again. ‘ _Sorry_.’ he mouthed.

She looked confused. "What are you sorry for?"

He smiled a little ‘ _That you’ve got a cow for a sister_.’

She understood what he said this time and laughed, nodding enthusiastically. "Great observation Potter, but I reckon she’d say the same about me!"

He frowned again. ‘ _You’re not a cow!_ ’ 

She smiled, she knew she wasn’t a cow, and Petunia had never used that kind of language about her but was glad to hear James didn’t think she was one, even after the many years of yelling at him to leave her alone.

James wanted to take her in his arms and tell her she was so far from cow it was insane; although instead he mouthed ‘ _You’re amazing_ ’ a little tentatively.

Lily caught her breath. She wasn’t expecting this; _what to do, what to do_? She slowly took his hand, noticing his breathing had stopped and took a finger from her other hand, drawing these letters in his palm; _U - R_ (a pause) _I - D - I - O - T - I - C_. When she had finished and he’d realised what she wrote she grinned playfully at him, dropping his hand and twisting away, down the corridor, her heart pounding a little too hard to be comfortable in her chest. 

James had frozen when she’d taken his hand, her fingers gently tickling his palm. When he had realised she’d just called him idiotic he felt his stomach fall but it rose again when he saw her smiling face, beaming back at him. Watching her meandering away from him down the corridor he reached his hand to his hair taking her in. Her pony tail swung down her back, like flames licking her shirt, her skirt billowed softly around her lean perfectly shaped legs with sockless ankles leading to black ballet pump style shoes that made no sound on the cold flagstone floor beneath them. He knew she didn’t believe he was idiotic and smiled to himself as he followed her, his hand still tingling from her touch.

They were almost back at the Gryffindor common room and Lily was trying not to look at James, a little embarrassed still from him calling her amazing. He had been battling with himself to try and tell her how he felt about her but knew he couldn’t do it without talking. He stopped her just by the portrait of the fat lady, looking pleadingly at her ‘ _Take the charm off_ ’ he asked.

She smiled. "You know what, I think I prefer you like this, even if Sirius does not." His face didn’t look impressed. "I reckon I might keep you like this till the end of the year." Now his face was definitely not impressed. "Well can you blame me?" she asked amused. "At least like this you can’t say anything stupid." 

His expression was now frank. How could he tell her how he felt if he couldn’t talk, although she did have a point, he had a habit of saying stupid things around her.

"Yes, I do much prefer you like this." she said laughing as she entered the common room, with him following close behind.

The boys were still up, but Lily’s friends had obviously gone to bed. Peter was nodding off in an armchair, Remus was putting a book back into the bookcase near the entrance to the girl’s dorm and Sirius was still sprawled out on the sofa. 

She smiled at them all and sighed before saying "Right I’m off to bed."

James caught her arm and looked sternly at her, pointing at his throat.

She laughed. "I told you Potter, I like you like this." She went to turn away as he flopped on an armchair dejectedly.

She turned and saw how miserable he looked so she made her way to him. "Alright, alright but for the record I like the silent James Potter!"

He grinned, turning round and kneeling on the chair, his arms folded resting on its back, looking straight at her.

His face was handsome in the weak light of the candles that where still lit. She whispered the counter curse with her wand pointing at him and smiled before turning to leave. "Night boys!" she said confidently.

"Goodnight." said James quietly, his voice mature, like melted chocolate.

Lily’s heart had just leapt. She hadn’t realised how mature and utterly attractive his voice really was. She felt a shudder down her spine and looked up at the ceiling, wishing he wasn’t so…well so him. Suddenly she realised Remus was stood right in front of her by the bookcase. She knew her cheeks went instantly red and she carried on to the entrance to the girls dormitory, only stopping next to him. "Not a word." she muttered forcefully at him, her eyes flashing warningly.

Remus, who was completely surprised by her reaction to James saying goodnight found it funny; all he could do was keep his expression light. "About what?" he replied amusedly, watching her climb the girls stairs quickly. 

She stood on the landing outside her dorm, her chest pounding. _Dam why did Remus have to see that, why?!_ She felt so embarrassed and wanted to ' _obliviate_ ' it from his mind. 


	7. It's Just a Bag of Cherries

** CHAPTER SEVEN: **

** It's Just a Bag of Cherries **   


Lily was sat at the breakfast table drinking an oversized mug full of coffee, listening to a fifth year moan about the pressure of OWL’s. Mary had started arguing with him, telling him that OWL’s were a piece of cake compared to NEWT’s, where you had two years of pressure leading up to the hardest exams of your life. His argument was that at least NEWT’s were drawn over two years where as OWL’s were crammed into just one year of study. Mary was hotly explaining how much more difficult NEWT’s were to OWL’s as Lily smiled into her mug.

She didn’t see the Marauders enter the great hall. It had been over a week since Lily had been on the date with James and although they were being pleasant towards one another, not much had been said about it. They spotted some empty seats at the far end of the Gryffindor table and headed in that direction.

James Potter however was searching the table for a head of flaming red hair; smiling when he spotted it he pulled a bag from inside his robes. As he passed Lily he dropped the package in front of her on the table before continuing.

Lily hadn’t seen him but looked at the bag when she heard the soft thud of it hitting the wood. Quickly she glanced around to see who had put it there; it couldn’t have been the owl post, which had been already. Her heart panged as she saw James walking away, his hands casually in his pockets. He glanced back at her, smiling and winking before following his friends to the empty spots they’d been heading for.

"What was that Prongs?" asked Sirius, not really taking any notice as he was ravenous, grabbing a stack of toast and the butter dish. 

James shrugged, his eyes finding Lily again. "Nothing." he said casually, reaching for the cornflakes blindly as he watched for her reaction.

Lily, who had watched James walk away confused, turned back to the bag he had deposited in front of her.

Mel had seen what had happened and was watching with interest. "Oooh what is it?"

Lily took the present in; it was a brown paper bag, full of something. Her brow furrowed as her fingers opened the top of it, it rustling slightly, and peered in. Her breath caught in her chest as she saw the most appetising looking red cherries she’d ever seen. Her eyebrows had raised; she looked for James.

He was still watching, hoping she liked them. His heart was pounding just a little faster than usual.

She looked back at the contents of the bag before glancing once again at James’s worried looking face. She smiled slowly; he’d remembered. He’d actually remembered what she’d said…

"What’s in the bag Lil?" asked Mel again, a little impatiently, puzzled by Lily’s smiling expression.

Mary had turned her attentions to her friends. "What’s this?" she asked looking from Lily to Mel and back to Lily again.

Mel spoke as Lily’s mind was racing. "Potter’s just given Lily a paper bag full of something."

Mary turned to Lily expectantly; as if she was waiting for her to explain though no explanation came so she picked up the bag and looked inside. "Cherries?" she said, puzzled.

Mel looked up at Lily as she too had peered in to see the bags contents. "What’s this about?"

Lily’s cheeks had gone pink. She never knew James could be so…so…well so thoughtful. She suddenly snapped back to reality. "Oh erm, it’s just something I said to him, when we were in Hogsmead." She looked back down the table; he was still watching her. Now she grinned, nodding slightly. It was so unexpected but a lovely gift.

Mary was looking at her as if to explain.

Lily huffed at her best friend; really Mary could be so nosey sometimes. "I just told him I really liked cherries, that’s all…in brown paper bags…"

Mel looked down the table at James who quickly became interested in his breakfast. "What’s so good about a bag of cherries?"

Lily took the bag and put it on her lap. "Nothing, it’s just a bag of cherries." she said dismissively keeping her gaze away from them.

Mary looked at Mel knowingly, not believing it was only a bag of cherries for one second. But she didn’t press the matter in front of the whole breakfast table; she’d ask Lily more about it later.

Lily just sat eating them quietly, smiling to herself. They were so tasty and juicy; probably the best cherries she’d ever eaten.

\------------------------------

The library was quiet. Only the soft rustle of turning pages with the odd stifled cough broke the silence. Lily and Mary were down an isle, searching for books that would aid them with an essay for Charms.

Mary was watching Lily closely; she’d not said much since receiving the gift off James that morning. "So spill the beans then missus, what was with the cherries?" she whispered.

Lily couldn’t help but smile. She shrugged. "I told you, it was just a bag of cherries." Her casual tone was fooling no one.

"Come on," demanded Mary. "I know you and you were ecstatic with it."

Lily sighed, she had been ecstatic with the present. It showed James had really thought about what she might like, instead of giving her something meaningless like a teddy or a flower or something. She turned to her best friend, excitement bubbling in her chest. "Ok, well," she whispered, "when we were in Hogsmead he was asking me what my favourite things were…you know like my favourite food and things like that right?"

Mary knew this, Lily had told her all this the night after the date. "So?"

"So…" Lily rolled her eyes at her friend’s impatience. "…I told him my favourite fruit was cherries; well what I said was that I’ve got a bit of a thing for them, and he even remembered the brown paper bag and everything." she said all this rather quickly.

Mary couldn’t help but chuckle. "But still, it was a bag of cherries Lily."

Lily huffed. "To you maybe but not to me and I don’t think to him either."

At this Mary looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Another sigh left Lily’s lungs. "I mean he gave me an impromptu gift. Something small and otherwise insignificant if it wasn’t for the fact that he knew they are my favourite. He didn’t try and make a huge gesture with flowers or something else cliché, and he didn’t try and make a scene. He thought about it, about what I’d like and he gave it to me." When finished she didn’t know if Mary would understand.

"So what you’re saying is?" asked Mary prompting Lily to get to the point.

"So what I’m saying _is_ he’s finally stopped pratting about and has started to really think. With that one bag of cherries this morning he showed me he can be thoughtful, sincere and sweet…as well as easy on the eyes." Lily had to smile at her last comment.

Mary however didn’t. "You’re serious aren’t you?"

Lily looked puzzled. "I suppose I am."

It was Mary's turn to sigh. "So with one bag of cherries he’s showed you all that and you’re just going to fawn at his feet?"

Lily frowned. "Of course not! I’m just considering…"

"Considering?"

"Yes, that’s all. Can’t I just consider?" she asked turning to the bookshelf and picking out a random book.

Mary couldn’t deny that she hadn’t seen this coming. She always knew there was something more to Lily’s very fiery rants to and about James Potter in the past. No matter how much Lily professed to hate him Mary couldn’t help but think she was masking something more, and this was it; finally he had grown up a bit and Lily’s attitude had changed. The only thing was, was Mary didn’t trust James as much as her best friend seemed to. 

They made their way to a table and sat down with the books they had collected. Lily was making a point of not looking at Mary and pretended to be really interested in a dog eared copy of ‘Charms of Medieval Britain’.

Finally Mary spoke, quietly of course. "I just don’t want to see you get hurt, that’s all."

Lily looked at her, Mary was always looking out for her well being and it was comforting to know she’d always be there to help, but something was telling her to give James a chance. It was like an itch that she just needed to scratch; even if it didn’t work out she would be able to say she’d given it a go. "I don’t want to get hurt either."

A little smile appeared on Mary's lips. "James Potter eh," She made a soft whistling noise. "I hope you realise what you’re getting yourself into?!"

Lily giggled. "I might not be getting myself into anything yet! He just bought me some cherries…that’s all." Her cheeks were pink.

"Yeah, that and the three years of him following you around like a love sick puppy!" added Mary, her gaze on the book in front of her but a cheeky look on her face.

Lily pulled a face, pouting slightly. "Don’t Mary, you’re tempting fate."

"Fate!" said Mary, a little too loudly. She lowered her voice. "Don’t go talking about fate honey, leave that to Potter. You know how much he used to like telling you that you two are meant to be together!"

Lily nudged her. "Don’t."

For the rest of their free period Mary teased Lily about James and they laughed uncontrollably, their essay no closer to being completed. 

\-----------------------------------

It was lunch time, the great hall was buzzing with students all eating happily. The marauders and the group of seventh year girls were sat near one another, Lily next to Remus discussing the Charms essay her and Mary had made absolutely no head way on. James however sat sneakily watching Lily, feeling small pangs of jealousy in his chest whenever she smiled at his friend, or when she touched his arm.

A very young looking third year Hufflepuff bounded over. "Potter and Evans?!" he said loudly.

Both James and Lily looked up questioningly.

The boy smiled a little nervously. "Erm, the headmaster said he would like a word in your ears."

So they both made their way to the teachers table where Albus Dumbledore was sat. When James finally came to Lily’s side, having walked down the other side of the table, they smiled shyly at one another.

"Thanks for the cherries this morning Potter." said Lily quietly, not looking at his face.

James’s stomach had flipped from her smile and he felt pretty pleased with himself. "My pleasure Miss Evans."

They came to a halt in front of the headmaster who looked up and smiled, his light blue eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles. "Ah, Miss Evans, Mr Potter, I’m sorry for interrupting your lunch but I have an errand for you this evening." He put his finger tips together. "I have a guest arriving just after dinner and would be very grateful if you could meet him at the entrance hall and show him to my office." He took in their nodding faces. "He’s an old friend and I would hate for him to get lost on his way through the castle."

"We can do that professor, no problem." said James politely.

"Thank you, well the password for my staircase is ‘midget gems’ and I’ll see you both this evening with Mr Bridge." He watched as they meandered back to their seats, whispering to one another before splitting up so James could get to his seat on the other side of the table. Smiling to himself he picked up a goblet of pumpkin juice.

"What’s put you in such a good mood Albus?" asked professor McGonagall politely, who was sat next to him.

Dumbledore winked, saying "Oh I was just thinking how I’d like to be seventeen again." before returning to his lunch. 


	8. Green Eyes All Round

** CHAPTER EIGHT: **

** Green Eyes All Round **   


Stood in the doorway of the entrance hall James looked over at Lily’s face; she was watching down the drive as a horseless carriage was approaching slowly. She looked stunning, her hair almost blazing in the early evening light. She ran her hand through it and it flopped effortlessly back down to frame her face.

"You know after we’ve shown his geezer to Dumbledore’s office?" he asked a little tentatively.

Lily looked over to him; her smile was warm. "Yes?"

His heart was fluttering. "Do you fancy going for a walk?" He held her gaze.

Her eyebrows had raised and her stomach felt like it had just somersaulted. "Oh," His eyes were looking intently at her…he was asking her to go for a walk…together…alone… She could see his face dropping slowly as he was waiting for her reply. "Alright, yeah, we can do that."

He had thought she was about to say no and wasn’t expecting a yes. He could have jumped and whooped if it wasn’t for him trying to keep his cool and not look like a complete moron.

Lily wasn’t looking at him; she knew her cheeks must have been a beautiful shade of pink by now. Thankfully the carriage drew to a halt at the bottom of the stone steps and broke the embarrassing silence. There was a flourish of activity from inside the cabin before the door opened and a gentleman stepped out, onto the gravel driveway. 

Whatever Lily had been expecting, it wasn’t this. She had automatically assumed, with Dumbledore saying he was an old friend, that Mr Bridge would be elderly but really he couldn’t have been too far into his thirties…if that! His hair was the colour of straw, slicked back on his head to make way for his ruggedly handsome face. He had a weather worn look about him, but handsome nevertheless. 

As Mr Bridge swept his long navy blue travelling cloak from the carriage steps Lily noticed his shoulders were broad, and he was tall, like a rugby player. When he looked up at the two students he smiled, revealing pearly white teeth, his cheeks dimpling and the skin around his eyes crinkled. Overall it was a desirable affect. 

James hadn’t noticed any of this, being a boy, and had extended his hand to shake Mr Bridge’s. "James Potter, Head boy." he announced his voice deeper than usual. "And this is Lily Evans, Head girl." he added, looking at her a little sheepishly. 

Mr Bridge took Lily’s hand softly. His were slightly rough, but strong. "Miss Evans," he said, his voice deep and rumbling. "I must say it’s a pleasure to meet someone so beautiful." He kissed her hand softly, but kept his small light blue eyes on her face, gauging her reaction.

James’s eyebrows automatically knitted together. 

Lily, who had held her hand out expecting it to be shook, was a little thrown. Her heart hadn’t stopped fluttering from the invitation from James and it took her a moment to gather herself. "Oh, well erm, we’re here to escort you to the headmaster’s office Mr Bridge." Her hand felt tingly after he’d let it go.

He smiled widely. "Oh please call me Knightly…I hate being known by my last name, reminds me of school." He winked at her.

"Right well, Knightly, shall we erm…" Lily gestured for them all to start moving. Really Mr Bridge was making her feel a little uncomfortable, openly flirting with her in front of James like he was.

So they made their way steadily from the entrance hall to the headmaster’s office on the third floor. Mr Bridge kept Lily rapt in conversation, impressing her with the information that he was a treasure hunter for Gringott’s which took him to many beautiful and dangerous places. James just followed behind quietly, his stomach heavy with jealousy at the way Lily was smiling at Mr Bridge. At the golden gargoyle flanking the stairway to Dumbledore’s tower Mr Bridge insisted Lily ascend before him, saying it was only polite to let a lady go first. 

"Ah Knightly, my friend!" exclaimed Professor Dumbledore as they entered his office.

"Albus, how are you, how are you?!" he asked loudly back, taking the outstretched hand he had been offered and shaking it with vigour.

Dumbledore was nodding, his face beaming. "I’m well my good man, and you, I hope I find you in good spirits!"

Mr Bridge nodded in reply. "Fantastic, just returned from Bermuda this morning; a trunk load of gold to keep the goblins happy and this rather fetching tan!"

They both chuckled at one another before Dumbledore spotted the two students. "Ah yes, Miss Evans, Mr Potter, thank you very much for your assistance. I believe it would be rude of me to keep you any longer!"

"Oh no Albus, this isn’t when I have to say goodbye to this beautiful creature is it?" asked Mr Bridge taking Lily’s hand once more and bending over it.

Dumbledore’s eyebrows flickered before he answered. "I’m afraid so my old friend, I’m afraid so."

"Dam," replied Mr Bridge kissing her pale hand softly before straightening up. "It has been a pleasure my dear, a real pleasure." Lily didn’t reply, not knowing how to so he turned to James who shook his hand grudgingly. "Goodbye then, thank you for you’re company on the way up here." he said confidently.

Lily was glad to get out of the office, and away from Knightly Bridge. He was the type of man who knew how charming he was, something Lily had never really been interested in. But that didn’t matter now, because she was about to go for a walk with James and she felt pretty happy about it.

James was also glad to get out of the office. He had wanted to curse Knightly Bridge for his blatant flirting with Lily, but most of all had hated the way she had smiled at him. She couldn’t have enjoyed it, could she? He looked over to her; she was looking out of windows and swinging her arms serenely as she walked. His stomach jolted, maybe she had enjoyed his attention…maybe she liked the way he flirted with her, maybe she was thinking of him right now. He felt mutinous and angry.

They were headed for the grand staircase and when they got there Lily looked at him, expecting him to head back down towards the entrance hall.

He however, stood frowning, not looking her directly in the face. "Maybe we shouldn’t go for that walk." he muttered.

Lily was confused…what had happened? "Why?" she asked quietly, a puzzled expression on her face.

He felt anger rising inside his chest; a vision of Knightly Bridge kissing her hand once more in his mind. "Maybe you should wait around for Knightly, he’d go walking with you." he said in a low voice before turning and walking up the steps.

Lily stood still, as if she’d just been shot with something. What was happening? They were going to go and enjoy the evening sun but now…now James’s mood had completely shifted. "What’s that supposed to mean?!" she asked, her eyebrows together.

"Work it out." he retorted angrily, before he’d even really thought about it.

She was going to say something in reply but didn’t. Watching him walking away she got angry too. Then she stormed up the stairs after him, determined to discover what had changed his mind. "What’s going on!?" she demanded of him, drawing close to him. "Why are you being like this all of a sudden?!"

He was frowning heavily. "Oh come off it!" he replied heatedly. "He was all over you and you were enjoying yourself!"

It was like something had stung her in the heart. "What!?" she said thinking back quickly. He had been a little over amorous but there was no way she had enjoyed it. "You Pillock!" she added as she over took him, hurrying in front, heading for the common room.

"Oh if that’s what you think!" he retorted.

She turned to look at him "Yes, that is what I think! Because that is what you are! A complete pillock! I was being polite Potter, that’s all!"

"Ha!" he said back, they were still moving. "That wasn’t polite! He was drooling all over you’re hand, I’m surprised it’s not soaking wet!"

She stomped her way to the seventh floor, a little out of breath but ignoring James who was following her. "I can’t believe I was going to go for a walk with you!" she said finally as they neared the portrait of the fat lady.

"I can’t believe you’d go for someone so smarmy!" said James moodily, referring back to Knightly Bridge.

"Oh for God’s sake Potter! You’re being a complete ignoramus! Didn’t you see that that whole thing was completely one sided!?!" They were at the portrait. "I was not enjoying it! I was being polite to professor Dumbledore’s guest!"

"Oh really?" he retorted, he’d stopped now and was in front of her. "Is that what you call blushing and giggling at his stupid compliments!?"

"Oh so what was I supposed to do? Tell him to shut up?!" The portrait had swung open as two fifth years exited the common room. They looked at James and Lily with surprise. "Oh you know what, leave me alone Potter!" she almost shouted as she walked into the bustling room.

He followed her instantly, his anger now in full flow, not intending to leave her alone. "You know what Evans? I’ll go and ask him if he’s into school girls shall I?"

She turned to face him. "I can’t believe you can be such a prat!" she shouted.

The whole common room had been nicely humming with chatting and laughter before the two warring students had entered. Now though, everyone had shut up and were watching the argument.

The remaining three Marauders were sat on the armchairs by the fire with the other seventh year girls. Sirius was about to butt in but Mary had pulled his arm and gestured for him to shut up. They all looked at one another puzzled.

"Why can’t you admit it!?" shouted James, his face was now red. "Why can’t you admit you were enjoying him flirting with you!?"

"Because I wasn’t!" she yelled back, her fists clenched by her sides. "It’s all in your imagination! I was being polite and that’s all." She turned away from him as if to put an end to matters. Neither had noticed that they were attracting the attention of everyone.

"That wasn’t just polite!" he retorted.

Lily turned back to face him, inhaling quickly. "You know what you’re problem is Potter?!"

"Other than me being a prat?!" he asked angrily.

"You’re jealous!" she said folding her arms.

He opened his mouth to react but then realised what she just said. "I’m not…"

She laughed loudly. "You so completely are! Just because someone has shown an interest in me you start accusing me of all sorts! You’re just a jealous little boy who needs to get his facts straight before he goes accusing people of things they haven’t done!"

"I…" He didn’t quite know what he could say. "I was there, I saw you…you went all red when he kissed your hand!" he said accusingly.

She was shaking her head. "You prat, Potter! I was already red from you asking me to go walking with you! Bridge didn’t do that!"

The students on the armchairs all exchanged different kinds of looks; some knowing, a couple puzzled and at least one amused.

"You still flirted back!" he retorted.

She threw her arms in the air violently. "I don’t care what you think anymore. Just stay out of my way!" she yelled as she exited out of the portrait hole door they’d just come in.

James stood a moment, anger still bubbling inside his chest, still unaware of the hoards of students staring at him. He ran his hand roughly through his hair and caught site of a first year eyeing him blatantly. "What are you staring at!" he shouted, losing his temper once more before looking round at the faces from the armchairs. Before any of them could say anything he grunted and made for the portrait door after Lily, calling her when he’d opened it.

\----------------------------

After he’d left everyone exhaled, like a cumulative sigh of relief. Some students giggled and got back on with their chattering. Sirius however whistled loudly "Oops."

Mary was looking concerned. "What do you think happened?"

Sirius rubbed his chin. "Well I reckon this Bridge character flirted with Lily after James asked her out and she was being ‘polite’ but he thought she was ‘flirting’ and then they got all angry and now they’re…well, it’s war, isn’t it?"

"Oh you don’t think they’ll hurt each other do you?" asked Mel, her eyes still on the portrait door.

Remus shook his head. "No." he said reassuringly.

Sirius laughed. "Are you kidding! She looked like she could murder him!"

Mel looked concerned. "Should we go and…?"

"And what? Get caught in the cross fire? No, best leave them to bugger it all up on their own!" said Sirius, putting his feet on the table. "Then they can’t blame anyone else for their bad moods but one another, after the fighting stops, that is."

 

 

 

 

 

 


	9. It's a Question of Whether You Like Jam or Not

** CHAPTER NINE: **

** It's a Question of Whether You Like Jam or Not **   


James found Lily stood in a corridor on the sixth floor. His anger had ebbed slightly as he’d left the common room.

When she saw him she turned away and huffed loudly. She had wanted to cry angry tears but wouldn’t let herself. After all this time, all the tentative steps they’d made towards one another… "Oh leave me alone Potter!" she said closing her eyes.

He felt bad. What if she had just been being polite and he’d gotten the wrong end of the stick? He stood and watched her back, her red hair hanging down over her shoulders and he regretted everything he’d said to her. "Lily wait?!"

"Wait!" she yelled turning to look at him now, her anger rising again. "Wait for what?! For you to accuse me of something else?!"

"No!" he replied, raising his voice slightly to compete with hers. "Just listen."

"No chance!" she said shaking her head.

He felt his anger return. "Just listen will you!" he said, grabbing either side of her arms so she couldn’t walk away. He was looking straight into her angry eyes. "You were right, alright! I was jealous, ok? Happy? I was jealous of the way you were smiling at him." As he finished his sentence his anger petered out. Even though she was red and her brows were furrowed she still looked beautiful.

She shook him off her arms. "So why shout at me James?!"

He shrugged. "I don’t know…because I _am_ a prat." He rubbed his head. "And now I’ve completely blown it, haven’t I?!" He leant against a near by window sill and huffed. "Dammit!" he said, ticked off with himself. "I can’t believe I just completely blew it!"

Lily watched him, her own anger leaving her. He was looking at the floor; his hand was rubbing the back of his neck as he shook his head. Even though he had made her so mad she couldn’t help but want to lean into that chest of his. Instead, she leant on the sill next to him, so they were facing out into the corridor. "I can’t believe you’d think I’d do that."

He glanced at her. "You were right. I am a prat."

Lily couldn’t help but laugh. "Never a truer word has been said."

His heart rose at he sweet sound of her laugh; he loved that laugh. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. "I don’t know Lily, I just saw red…I’m sorry."

She didn’t know what to say, he sounded sorry. 

In the silence he heard her breathing quietly and decided that if he was ever going to make this right he’d have to be honest, no matter how embarrassed he was. "It’s just…" He kept his eyes down. "…well, when you smiled at him…I just wish you’d smile at me that way…that’s all." He sighed, still she said nothing. "And I’ve been trying…you know?" He glanced at her, she was watching him sheepishly. "And we’d just started to…well…" He shrugged, this was difficult. "The truth is that I like you." No that wasn’t the truth at all. "No, I mean I really, _really_ like you…and now I’ve blown the only chance I ever had." His hand rubbed his head and then he put it down by is side.

Lily’s breath had stopped as she watched him. This was James Potter; no messing around, no frills or bravado, just James Potter being honest. In the space of five minutes she had gone from being so angry at him to being so completely blown away. This was what she had been waiting for, all the time she’d known him this is why she’d waited. Slowly she slid her hand underneath his, not looking at his face which was facing her now, with an enquiring expression. She felt his fingers tighten around hers. "I’ve no doubt I’m going to regret this but…" She looked at him now, his eyes were wide. "…I like you too."

James’s heart felt like it had suddenly burst into flames like a phoenix when it died. His mind was blank and all he saw was her eyes, her beautiful big emerald green eyes. "You...?" Was all he could say, he couldn’t even finish the question.

She smiled, her eyes twinkling as she nodded. "Yep."

The gormless expression on his face lifted into a smile as he moved in front of her, looking down at her face. He was still holding her petite hand in his and took her other which was at her other side. Slowly, keeping is eyes on her he kissed her lips gently, watching her eyes close softly and then open again. He felt as though his heart had literally stopped.

Lily had started breathing again, only for her breath to be caught once more with his sweet kiss. She never dreamed he could be so tender. Still not saying a word he kissed her again, and again, soft and tenderly, his hands holding hers tightly, as if she might try and run. 

He pulled away completely now, his eyes locked on to hers, and something rose in his chest. Suddenly his hand let go of hers and slid effortlessly around the back of her neck, entangling itself in her soft red hair, his other slipping around her small waist, pulling her closer to him. Their lips touched again now, but with passion, not tenderness. 

That was the moment James Potter had his first taste of heaven.

In their passion James had pushed Lily gently to the window sill she had been leant against and she had let him. Her hands were now running around his neck, into that thick mass of untidy hair she’d always wanted to feel; it was surprisingly silky. 

When they finally pulled away from one another, they kept their bodies close. James was caressing her hair, his strong fingers twisting through her soft waves, although his eyes were on hers. "Lily…" he said, a little breathlessly. "…Can I ask you something..?"

Her hand had been stroking his cheek. "If you ask me to go out with you I’ll stomp on your foot." she said back, smiling.

James’s heart sunk a little, he _was_ going to ask her that. His mind raced, but there was nothing else in there but her. "Erm…no I was going to ask if…erm, if you like err…jam..?" He looked puzzled at himself.

Lily laughed, kissing his cheek, dodging him trying to catch her with a kiss back. "Yes."

He didn’t know what to think. Lily, _the_ Lily he had dreamt about for three years, was in his arms…in _his_ arms. He sighed and buried his face in her neck, her scent was almost unbearable and her giggle sent a shudder down his spine so severe that he thought he had pins and needles in his feet. "Be mine Lily." he muttered, kissing the soft skin of her neck.

"I am yours." she answered, a little breathlessly without thinking. She felt as though her head was about to blast off like a rocket. She’d wondered what it would be like to be kissed by James Potter and now she was finding out.

When he emerged from her neck his smile was wide and full of hope. "You are?" He stared earnestly into her deep emerald eyes, not believing what he’d just heard.

"I am." she replied, losing herself in his face and completely surrendering when he kissed her lips once more before hugging her. 

They held one another in silence for a few minutes, Lily’s head on James’s chest with his arms wrapped around her strongly. "I’m sorry for getting so jealous." he whispered in her ear, stroking her hair.

She shrugged and looked up from her comfortable sanctuary. "That’s alright."

His smile was wide and he kissed her forehead. "I think I might need pinching." But when she obliged he moved away quickly, rubbing his arm. "Hey, I didn’t mean literally!"

Lily laughed. "Well you should have said that, shouldn’t you?"

He laughed too and grabbed her again, his long strong hands grasping around her small waist. "You don’t fancy going for that walk do you?" he asked hopefully.

Lily’s hands ran up his chest and around the back of his neck "And why do you think I should?" 

He pretended to deliberate this before a cheeky grin broke in his expression. "Because you can’t resist me…obviously." She laughed and tried to get away but to no avail as he pulled her in closer. "Because you’re mine and I’m not letting you go no matter how much you struggle!" When she stopped and looked into his eyes she noticed he’d gone serious. "I’m not letting you get away from me, not now I’ve finally got you." Then he kissed her deeply once more.

Lily’s head had hardly stopped spinning since she’d confessed to liking him but found her courage to be in tact so she took him by the hand and led him in the direction of the entrance hall. "Come on Potter, before I change my mind."

They spent a good few hours out in the grounds walking and then finally came to rest underneath a tree as dusk fell. James hardly took his eyes off her and held her tightly as they sat chatting embarrassedly about how her feelings had changed for him and how his feelings for her had stayed completely the same. 

\-------------------------------------------

It was ten o’clock by the time James and Lily strolled into the common room hand in hand. They’d completely forgotten about their very public fight only a few hours before and were laughing as they entered.

The other three Marauders were still awake and by the fire, as were Mary and Mel who had joined Sirius in a game of exploding snap. They had all spent a while discussing what injuries James would return with and how long it would take Lily to start talking to him again. None of them were expecting what they saw when they turned to see who had walked into the room.

"Where’ve you been?!" asked Mary loudly.

"And what’s going on?!" added Sirius as he pointed at their clasped hands with an open mouth and wide eyes. Everybody gasped.

Lily felt herself go red and shuffled her feet nervously.

James however squeezed her hand and said "Don’t be nosey!" before leading her to the sofa, sitting and dragging her to sit next to him. He put his arm firmly round her shoulders and kissed her temple before trying to ignore the astounded and inquisitive faces of his friends.

"Lily!" said Mel incredulously.

Lily shrugged at her friends, knowing full well her cheeks were red. "It’s a long story." She heard James chuckle softly next to her and she smiled sheepishly at him. "Well it is."

"I believe you." he answered kissing her forehead to a wolf whistle from Sirius. "Shut up Padfoot you prat." 

 

 

**A/N: Well, that's it! This is my first full fic. I wrote it a while ago, before DH but I don't think it really meanders too far off the beaten path. Just a wee idea as to how it all came about. I know it's nothing too profound but just a little bit of fluff...and an argument but I wouldn't have it any other way.**


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